Red Hot Louth Hurlers secure their championship status

NICKY RACKARD CUP ROUND 5

LOUTH 0-27 ARMAGH 3-14

The Louth hurlers had one objective in mind when they made the trip to the BOX-IT Athletic Grounds in Armagh on Saturday afternoon.

Survival in the fourth tier of Championship hurling would only be achieved with a victory against manager Paul McCormack's native county. And despite their poor recent record against the Orchard Men, when it mattered most, they lifted their performance levels to secure a memorable victory.

This is not the first time that Louth have scored 27 points in a match, as they scored 3-27 when capturing the Lory Meagher Cup against Longford last year. Showcasing the scoring power this team possess when at their best.

Darren Geoghegan missed his sides defeat to Donegal in Letterkenny the previous week, but he returned to the starting 15 last Saturday, producing probably his best personal performance in a red jersey when he notched 17 points.

He took his place in the half forward line alongside Seaghan Conneely and another man of the match contender in Ryan Walsh. This trio between them scored 23 points, securing the Wee County’s position in the Nicky Rackard Cup in 2024.

It is Fermanagh who make the drop to the Lory Meagher grade following their defeat to Roscommon. The side’s had finished all square when meeting in Darver. It was the only point either side had secured prior to the final round of games.

The Ulster men had the better scoring difference and should they have matched Louth’s victory in Armagh, it would be the Wee County who were relegated. These are the fines margins that often define hurling at this level. All that really matters now is Louth are safe.

With four minutes gone on the clock, the visitors had already accounted for four wides before Armagh finally opened the scoring with a goal scored by Fionntan Donnelly from close range. They extended their early lead when the same player struck over a point from a 20-metre free.

A foul on Padraig Fallon presented Darren Geoghegan the opportunity to open his side's account from a free on seven minutes. However, Louth fell five behind when Eoin McGuinness and Cormac Jennings grabbed good points from play.

The teams exchanged points from frees before Seaghan Conneely from close range and Geoghegan from distance, both from play, cut the deficit to three on 18 minutes. 

Donnelly and Geoghegan again exchanged points from frees and three unanswered scores from Ryan Walsh and Geoghegan (2) in as many minutes had Louth on level terms on 25 minutes, 1-5 to 0-8.

A foul by Louth defender Danny Morgan allowed Fionntan Donnelly to restore a lead for the home side, but the visitors finished the half strongly, bagging the next six points in a row.

Ryan Walsh scored his second of the half from distance out on the left wing, added to by scores from Geoghegan (3), Conor Murphy and defender Conall Shaw from the half way line.

Armagh did respond with an injury time point, but it was the visitors who went into the dressing rooms leading by four points at the break, 0-14 to 1-7.

It did not take long for Darren Geoghegan to take his tally into double figures when he extended the lead on the resumption.

Odhran Curry and Ryan Walsh exchanged points, before Seaghan Conneely set up Geoghegan for another terrific point from the left wing.

The home side managed to keep in touch with efforts from Donnelly and Jennings and the deficit was still just four when the latter grabbed his third point of this encounter.

The impressive Walsh took his own tally to four and the lead was back to six on 48 minutes when a free won by the hard-working Peter Fortune, was again nicely slotted over by the in-form Geoghegan. 

Two minutes later centre half forward Tomas Galvin netted a second Armagh goal when he found the top left corner of Ricky McKeown's net from a tight angle. It didn't take long for McCormack's charges to restore their lead, with three more points including one from substitute Feidhelm Joyce.

They were soon in sight of the victory they so desperately needed when Seaghan Conneely and Geoghegan added points from play, a sixth by the Naomh Moninne man.

Galvin exchanged points with Joyce before a third goal was scored by him. Pretty much identical to his first, it ensured a nervous last few minutes for the visiting supporters in the stand.

Geoghegan completed the scoring for the winners with a free from halfway, before a goal bound shot from a Galvin free was deflected over the bar by an alert defender. 

Another late effort was saved by keeper McKeown and that was it, as the final whistle confirmed Louth's Nicky Rackard status.

A job well done. Division 3A and their championship position secured, it ended up being a decent season for Louth, with both targets for the year ultimately achieved.

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LOUTH: Ricky McKeown; Ronan Mulholland, Conor Quigley, Adam Plunkett; Danny Morgan, Jamie McDonnell, Conall Shaw (0-1); Peter Fortune, Liam Molloy; Seaghan Conneely (0-2), Ryan Walsh (0-4), Darren Geoghegan (0-17, 0-11 frees); Tom Mathews, Padraig Fallon, Conor Murphy (0-1). Sub: Feidhelm Joyce (0-2) for Mathews (45), Aaron McGuinness Smith for Fallon (54), Andrew Mackin for Murphy (67).

ARMAGH: Fintan Woods; Kane Lafferty, Tiarnan Nevin, Odhran McCann; Paudie Lappin, Barry Shortt, Rory Shine; Niall Lennon, Odhran Curry (0-1); Shea Harvey, Cormac Jennings (0-3), Fionntan Donnelly (1-5, 0-5 frees); Danny Magee, Eoin McGuinness (0-2), Thomas Galvin (2-3, 0-1 free). Subs: Connor Renaghan for Shine (35), Oisin O Hare for Lennon (48), Sean Watters for Donnelly (58), Paddy Garvey for Magee (62), Caolan Rowntree for McGuinness (68).

REFEREE: Conor Daly (Kildare).