Louth Minors escape from Fortress Aughrim with a vital victory

Leinster Minor Football Championship Preliminary Quarter Final

Louth 0-12 Wicklow 0-10

The Louth minors escaped from Echelon Park in Aughrim with a place in the Electric Ireland Leinster quarter finals after holding off a stubborn Wicklow outfit.

David Reid and Johnny Clerkin’s dominant travelling party were the better side throughout. But controlling the outcome was tough on the young reds, such was Wicklow’s doggedness.

With that relentless chase, the visitors could never settle fully in the contest, nor put the hosts away over the sixty minutes, with the game in the melting pot right up until Kieran Harris blew the final whistle.

Wicklow were always in contention thanks to a strong midfield pairing of Oisín Murphy and Darragh Shanahan and when the game really tightened up they were accurate with their free taking.

After going behind four times on two separate occasions to draw level, their manager Jonathan Daniels will be proud of his side's efforts.

When corner forward Eddie Cullen landed his second free of the second period to level the contest, it looked like Wicklow were going to push on to the next round. Louth however recovered and dragged themselves over the line.

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Adam Gillespie again was the Wee County’s main man. The young forward has amassed 2-25 in four games across this campaign. It was the Ardee player's ability to snatch early points in each half that would prove to be the winning of the game. His first mislaid the nerves felt around the fortress.

For the first time this season, both sides played with no safety net and they duly tip-toed out of the warm up. Gillespie took little time to settle all around him, but the half would still be riddled with errors and wides.

Hard work from Louth was noticeable on the night. Right from the off, they hunted in packs and Dylan Shevlin came back into the side to great effect. The Stabannon man pitched in with two points at crucial times late on, but his endeavour was infectious at the start.

Both sides were wasteful, Ciarán McGinty is getting a habit of making timely blocks and Cian Farrell strode out of the defence promisingly early on.

Louth suffered a blow when Seán Flynn was forced to go off, but his replacement Tony McDonnell, son of former Gaels and Louth player Brian, got to the pitch of the game straightaway.

Worked with speed, midfielder Conor McGinty found Liam Brannigan with a chipped pass. McDonnell’s run took him in front of his man and he swung it over with his first touch.

Wicklow were missing chances and Gillespie nearly had a goal too. His first effort was denied, but he kept going and he got the point in the end.

And from that kick out Josh Taaffe punished Joe Jacob’s wayward kick out. Two points in a flash, with the scoring rate so low, was a huge boost to the Wee Reds.

Taaffe was excellent and enjoyed a great interception moments later, another sign of the work rate shown by the winners on the midweek night.

Wicklow turnovers were significant. They broke at pace and on the counter attack were dangerous. Josh Healy scored a brace in similar fashion having linked up with the impressive Mark Kinsella to make it 0-5 to 0-3 at the turn.

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Although Gillespie was shadowed by two players he was again quick off the mark upon the resumption. With his marker's minds still in the dressing rooms, the province's top scorer clipped over an early second half score. 

Louth pushed for home then but Jack Byrne heroically smothered the on rushing midfielder Lorcan Buckley. That’s where the game very nearly was decided.

Taaffe did put Louth four points ahead for the second time in the game shortly after, but Louth went scoreless for nine minutes as Wicklow came roaring back into the preliminary tie.

Kinsella and an Eddie Cullen free encouraged Wicklow further, along with the energy of three of their substitutes to revive themselves. Patrick Small clipped over the crossbar and Cullen levelled with another free.

Under the cosh and against the run of play, Dylan Shevlin halted Wicklow’s momentum. It was inspirational.

One of those earlier substitutes, Joe Heatly, did level again but Louth centre back Pádraic Tinnelly backed himself with a confident strike to break the home team's spirit.

McDonnell collected a mark and Gillespie landed a pressure free that extended the lead into a winning one. Cullen and Small would respond, but Shevlin again took on a long range strike that paid off.

The high balls kept dropping and dropping in the desperate finale. Tiernan Markey held strong along with his full back McGinty, but it would have been like stealing a cream egg at the till if the Garden County snatched a late win.

Relief was the emotion felt most when the final whistle blew. Louth will gladly take their place in the final six next Tuesday week against Offaly and the time to prepare for the quarter final proper.

WICKLOW: Joe Jacob; Joe Kindlon, Paddy Horan-Flynn, Jack Byrne; Charlie Graham, Eoghan Murphy, Paddy Harpur; Oisín Murphy, Darragh Shanahan; Josh Healy (0-2), Eddie Cullen (0-3 frees), Conor Broderick; Mark Kinsella (0-2), Éanna Nolan, Patrick Small (0-2, 0-1 free). SUBS: Joe Heatly (0-1) for Conor Broderick (35), Oliver Doyle for Paddy Harpur (37), A Keogh for Graham (40), Thomas Kelly for E Murphy (54).

LOUTH: Tiernan Markey; Cian Farrell, Ciarán McGinty, Keelin Martin; Micheál Reid, Pádraic Tinnelly (0-1), Cormac McArdle; Conor McGinty, Lorcan Buckley; Seán Flynn, Dylan Shevlin (0-2), Liam Brannigan; Josh Taaffe (0-2), Adam Gillespie (0-5, 0-2 frees), Shane Lennon. SUBS: Tony McDonnell (0-2, 0-1 mark) for Flynn (12), J Healy for McArdle (46), Robbie Matthews for Lennon (57).

Referee: Kieran Harris (Kildare).