Dubs prove a bridge too far as Louth denied a fairytale finish

Dublin 0-16
Louth 1-6

Louth’s big day out in Croke Park more than whet the appetite for similar fixtures in the furture.

From the beginning, the Wee County found themselves right in the eye of a media storm as one Stephen Cluxton came out of hibernation.

With the match tumbling to a formality, all eyes were on the fourth official's board and the number 16. Alas, Cluxton’s full return will have to wait, Dean Rock the last substitute, ambled on to stroke over a ’45 with his first touch.

With the clocks going forward, Louth seized a fragility that now exists in the team from the capital.

Mickey Harte’s men took notes and plenty of them on the first day of summer. That may be unnoticed now but Harte’s ability to scheme and tailor his troops' progress will take further shape in the weeks ahead.

For now, the abundant travelling Louth supporters felt pride, and most importantly they did not go home with their tails between their legs.  

Five points in a row at the beginning of the second half all but sealed the promotion for Dublin in the ironically coined ‘championship’ quarter. That was the only time Louth let their guard down and they duly paid.

Liam Jackson did get Louth off the mark in the second half with a well-taken goal. Jackson’s younger brother Tom, spotting the movement only a sibling would cop, to play the perfect foot pass that sent Liam through. A low finish did the rest.

A lull after the goal was an opportunity lost to test Dublin’s resolve and get back into the contest. However the damage was done and Louth duly suffered from that point onwards.

Forced to come out and take more risks than normal Louth were picked off on the counter resulting in no dramatic comeback or Cluxton.

With distractions all around, the Wee County settled quickly with the rehearsed gameplan that got them in this position in the first place during the most successful league campaign since 1997.

Resolute defending, rapid transition play and edgy interplay that saw Ciarán Downey notch the games first score. The lead although brief was a momentto remember for the young reds in attendance. 

The loss of Sam Mulroy was well-known, but his effect on Louth’s scoring rate was seen in two long range frees passed up by Mickey Harte’s men. Couple that with loose possession, Louth never led again.

Dublin finally settled and asserted their dominance with two punishing scores of their own. The two early scorers, Killian O’Gara and Colm Basquel are two players scrapping for championship places and you could sense it in their directness.

Yet, despite taking the lead, Dessie Farrell’s outfit laboured and clocked up the wides. Conall McKeever smacked the upright for Louth and Dáire McConnon levelled. McKeever’s effort was terrifically worked and Harte’s men were buoyed by the creation of the opportunities.

James Peach Califf came up the field like he would on Dreadnots duty to slot over one of those mid to long range frees that the Wee county struggled with earlier in the afternoon. That would be the last time the sides were level.

Basquel firmly put his hand up for a starting berth with the second of his top scoring three points. Con O’Callaghan blazed over the bar after a vintage James McCarthy surge into The Hill.

Ciarán Downey would end the half like he started, with a pointed free to make it a one point contest. That closeness was deserved and a sign of a malleable game plan that provided hope at both ends.  

Upon the resumption however, Dublin squeezed the game, toying with Louth's structure to chip away at its foundations with long sequences of possession that crucially resulted in scores.

Brian Fenton, off his left foot, typified the crushing ease with which Dublin went about their work with a fine score.

With the game unravelling for Louth, changes were needed. Craig Lennon and Tom Jackson provided the legs while Bevan Duffy became a centurion with his 100th Louth appearance off the bench.

Before Jackson found the net, under pressure Dublin goalkeeper David O’Hanlon welcomed the scrutiny with a low stop from Dáire McConnon. 

Those scores were rued in the moment but Louth valiantly pushed on increasing the pride in the stands and the chatter on the way home. Jackson was rewarded and the place erupted but soon went quiet. Decorated players like Paul Mannion and Dean Rock entered the fray with aplomb.

While Downey and Jackson added to their tallies, you got the feeling Louth were already planning the next session with the Leinster Championship in mind. A huge summer awaits.

Dublin: David O'Hanlon; Daire Newcombe 0-1, David Byrne, Michael Fitzsimons; John Small, Eoin Murchan, Lee Gannon; James McCarthy 0-1, Brian Fenton 0-1; Colm Basquel 0-3, Ciaran Kilkenny, Seán Bugler 0-2; Killian O'Gara 0-1, Con O'Callaghan 0-1, Cormac Costello 0-2 (1f) Subs: Paddy Small (0-01) for O'Gara (24), Tom Lahiff 0-1 for Murchan (ht), Paul Mannion 0-1 for Basquel (53), Lorcan O’Dell 0-1 for Costello (61) Ross McGarry for Bugler (65), Dean Rock 0-1 (1 '45) for O’Callaghan (71)

Louth: James Califf 0-1 (1f); Dan Corcoran, Peter Lynch, Donal McKenny; Leonard Grey, Ciarán Murphy, Niall Sharkey; Conor Early, Tommy Durnin; Conall McKeever, Liam Jackson 1-1 Conor Grimes; Dáire McConnon 0-1, Ciarán Downey 0-3 (2f),Ryan Burns. Subs: Craig Lennon for McKenny (44), Tom Jackson for McKeever (44), Conall McCaul for Burns (35), Bevan Duffy for Sharkey (56), Jay Hughes for McConnon (66).

Referee: Paul Faloon (Down)