Injury time heartbreak sees Louth footballers defeated in Ennis

Allianz National League Division Two Round 1

Louth 1-9 Clare 0-13

Despite the heroic efforts put on show, the Louth Footballers still began their tenure in Division Two of the National League with a loss. Albeit one which was a bit controversial, particularly if you were a supporter in Red.

The Wee County dug deep in the first half and produced a subline defensive masterclass to take a 0-6 to 0-3 lead into the break. The home side improved greatly in the second half, but poor shooting meant they stayed chasing the game throughout.

When they finally took the lead for the first time on 66 minutes, Ciaran Downey finished a great team move that had the large Louth travelling support off their feet. Surely they could hold on from here?

Unfortunately, the Clare pressure continued and four injury time efforts followed, the winner being the one that came in for questioning.

After levelling matters at the end of the six allotted minutes of added time from referee Sean Lonergan, Clare were somehow awarded a free. This despite Conor Grimes looking as if he was the one fouled.

Up the field Clare went and it was Jamie Malone that bagged the decisive winner. And yet the tale of added time is not finished. Two minutes earlier Dan Corcoran had a close-range goal effort saved, while from the recycled ball Ryan Burns missed the chance to put his team two in front.

At that stage there was only a minute left, meaning any sort of score was probably enough to eke out a win. But alas, it never came and it opened the door to Clare’s comeback. Given how cutthroat this division is, a setback like this could come back to haunt Louth in the fight for survival.

It all started so well for Mickey Harte’s side, who in the opening 20 minutes had created what looked like an unbreakable defensive wall. With effectively all 15 men behind the ball, they frustrated Clare, letting them dictate the possession stakes, but well outside scoring range.

Their approach going forward centred on counter attacking at pace, with the Wee County looking like scoring on every venture into the Clare half of the field. Scores came from Sam Mulroy, via frees, and Conor Early who bagged two monsters as Louth utilised the wind.

The only negative during this time period for boys in red was the loss of Ciaran Byrne, who had to be stretchered off following an injury to his knee. Losing the former Aussie Rules player would be a massive loss to the Wee County cause.

With so much time on the ball, Clare was bound to create some chances. Most relied on getting frees, but they were dropping many short. Even playing against 14 men for 10 minutes, after Liam Jackson was black carded on 18 minutes, was of little help.

It took them 25 minutes to get on the board as Eoin Cleary bagged a free, while Keelan Sexton finally found a way past the sea of red jerseys to get their first from play soon after.

They were kept to just one more point this side of the break, again from Sexton whose loss just before half time through injury was seemingly doing them no favours.

Two Further efforts from Mulroy left Louth three up at halftime, 0-6 to 0-3. His team looking like they’d cruise to victory.

Colm Collins’ men to their credit came out with purpose in the second half. They once again dictated the pace and had more of the possession, but were now creating a lot more opportunities.

Defensively Louth had looked untouchable up to this point, but the problem was they were coming under enormous pressure from their own kick outs. Declan Byrne’s restarts were won by Clare 11 out of 20 times in the second half.

Why so many kickouts? Clare was attacking all the time. Luckily for Louth, the chances were rarely taken, with 10 wides registered in the second half alone. Daire McConnon and Dermot Campbell both pointed to keep their side ahead, despite the momentum being with Clare.

After trailing since the seventh minute, the Banner County got back on level terms on 64 minutes, while a superb mark in the corner from Gavin Cooney put them in front for the first time.

Louth were on the ropes, yet they hit back immediately with a goal to regain the lead. A quickly taken kickout from Byrne found its way into the path of Conor Grimes. He launched it forward for an awaiting Ciaran Downey whose powerful strike left David Sexton with no chance of saving.

Their moment of glory was short lived, as controversy or not Clare dug deep into the well with scores from Emmet McMahon, Cooney, Daniel Walsh and Malone to eke out a memorable victory in injury time.

Clare: David Sexton; Manus Doherty, Cillian Brennan, Ronan Lanigan; Cian O’Dea, Jamie Malone (0-2), Alan Sweeney; Cathal O’Connor, Darren O’Neill; Podge Collins, Eoin Cleary (0-2 frees), Dermot Coughlan Jnr; Pearse Lillis; Keelan Sexton (0-2), Emmet McMahon (0-3, 0-2 frees). Subs: Mark McInerney (0-1 45') for Sexton (34), Ciarán Downes for Coughlan (47), Darragh Bohannon for O’Connor (51), Daniel Walsh (0-1) for Sweeney (55), Gavin Cooney (0-2, 0-1 mark) for Collins (63). 

Louth: Declan Byrne; Dan Corcoran, Dermot Campbell (0-1), Donal McKenny; Leonard Grey, Peter Lynch, Ciaran Murphy; Conor Early (0-2), Ciarán Byrne; Ciarán Downey (1-0), Sam Mulroy (0-5, 0-3 frees), Conall McKeever; Liam Jackson; Daire McConnon (0-1 free), Conor Grimes. Subs: Tommy Durnin for C Byrne (13), Niall Sharkey for Lynch (39), Alan Connor for McKenny (45), Tom Jackson for McKeever (47), Craig Lennon for Liam Jackson (47), Ryan Burns for Durnin (68).

Referee: Sean Lonergan (Tipperary)