Louth guarantee place in quarter finals of the Leinster Minor Championship

Electric Ireland Louth Minor Football Championship Group 2

Louth 1-10 Meath 0-11

Louth guaranteed themselves a place in the quarter finals of the Leinster Minor Championship, having accounted for Meath in this local derby on Wednesday night in Hunterstown, in a typically closely fought contest between neighbouring counties.

Last year, Meath comfortably accounted for the Wee County in the Gerry Reilly competition at the under 16 grade, with several players who lined out for their respective counties that day, doing battle in Hunterstown last night.

One such player was Louth’s Donnacha Skinnader. Having produced a heroic block which went some way towards that victory late on against Westmeath last time out, the Dreadnots player produced what can only be described as a colossal performance against the Royals, as he drove the team on from centre half back, finishing with 30 possessions over the hour.

Alongside Skinnader, Louth keeper Senon Connolly also produced heroics on the night, particularly early on, as he made as many as three saves in the first quarter, which saw Louth lead by 0-3 to 0-1 in a match which appeared to lack that derby intensity early on.

With Meath getting players behind the ball, Louth owned the majority of possession in a much more controlled showing from Johnny Clerkin’s side than 7 days ago.

However, that did not mean to say that Meath did not look dangerous, as when the visitors turned the ball over in their defence, they broke, spraying early ball into a lively inside line of Evan Kelly and Pat Crawley, with both forwards denied by Senon Connolly early on, with Evan Kelly’s palm from a Pat Crawley free parried away by Connolly, before the Roche netminder stood up to a Pat Crawley drive, as Meath threatened the goal.

Despite this, Louth did settle down and bagged the opening three scores of the game, when Joe Hanlon converted a free early on following a foul on Cillian McQuillan, before McQuillan took a Michael McGlew pass off the shoulder to land Louth’s second score moments later.

Michael McGlew who himself had 20 possessions in the game, made clever cutting runs from the sideline, setting up Luke Keenan for a close range point to give Louth a 0-3 to no score lead.

While Louth dominated possession, Meath will still rue missed chances in that half. Including their early goal chances, Meath managed 0-6 from 13 shots in that first half.

Pat Crawley certainly had goal in his mind when he spun away from the Louth cover after collecting a Cathal Barron kickpass, but his shot was parried over the bar by the imperious Senon Connolly, as Meath were finally on the board.

That score appeared to inspire the Royals, as they grabbed two out of the next three scores to trail by 0-4 to 0-3 inside 19 minutes.

Alongside Crawley, Evan Kelly was a lively customer in the green and gold jersey, and having appeared out in front of his marker to receive foot-passes from Ciaran Sheridan and Cathal Barron, Kelly scored these two Meath points, in between a Joe Hanlon free for Louth following a foul on Andrew O’Reilly.

Penetrative runs from the flanks to the centre continued to be the order of the day, as Michael O’Shaughnessy converted from play after taking a Skinnader pass off the shoulder to give Louth that 0-5 to 0-3 lead with 7 minutes left until half time.

However, Meath continued to ask questions of Louth, with three points in a row in the run in until half time, giving the Royals the upper-hand at the break, punishing the home side on their own kickout, with Cathal Barron setting up Cormac Smith to score from play, before Patrick Yourell collected another Louth restart to level things up, with a Cormac Nugent free giving Meath a slender lead at the interval.

Second Half:

You felt that a positive start to the second half was crucial in deciding this fixture, and Louth reeled off three points in a row to regain the lead at 0-9 to 0-6 inside the opening 10 minutes after the restart.

Cillian McQuilan so influential last week, came around on the loop, before kicking exquisitely over from range to level matter.

Joe Hanlon picked up a loose ball after Donnacha Skinnader had taken a big hit from Meath’s Conor Black, to put Louth ahead from play, while the Cooley man converted a free to make that 0-8 to 0-6.

You will have your work cut out before you find a player who merited getting his name on the scoresheet more than Donnacha Skinnader in Hunterstown, as he landed a fine score from range akin to McQuilan’s just after the restart to give Louth that 0-9 to 0-6 lead after 40 minutes.

Despite their wastefulness, Meath reminded Louth they had not given up, with a Pat Crawley free closing that gap moments later in a game where you felt that a goal would go a long way to deciding the outcome.

The Royals introduced Andrew O’Brien into the inside line, as they opted to go a little more direct, with the wet conditions, conducive to a ball slipping around the square, and pandemonium in the goal mouth, as O’Brien fired over moments after Cassidy’s goal.

But, like last week, Louth’s subs once again made a telling contribution, as a deflected Emmet Duffy shot was punched to the net by Brendan Cassidy for the crucial major to alleviate some nerves which had been brewing around Hunterstown.

Luke Keenan added a free, and that seemed to seal Louth’s victory at 1-10 to 0-8 heading into added time.

Meath did give Louth a scare at the end, with Evan Kelly scoring from play, either side of Pat Crawley and Cormac Smith frees to leave two between the sides, before a 45 was awarded to the visitors.

With Louth supporters fearing the worst, this time it was the Wee County and Ben McKeown who came away with the ball following that 45, as they held on to assure a Leinster quarter final spot, and ultimately bragging rights.

Louth: Senon Connolly; Ben McKeown, Ciaran Devine, Fionn Coyle ©; Conor Clinton, Donnacha Skinnader (0-1), Michael McGlew; Tom Maguire, Michael O’Shaughnessy (0-1); Tadgh Devaney, Joe Hanlon (0-4) (3f), Cillian McQuilan (0-2); Shane McMahon, Andrew O’Reilly, Luke Keenan (0-2) (1f).

Subs: Emmet Duffy for Devaney (45), Brendan Cassidy (1-0) for O’Reilly (50), Ewan Hoban for Hanlon (55), Flynn Markey for Keenan (60).

Meath: Cian Murphy; Cillian Yore, Sean McLoughlin, Thomas Sheridan; Cian Toban, Conor Black, Eoin McCrudden; Cathal Barron, Jack Doyle; Cormac Smith (0-2) (1f), Ciaran Sheridan, Cormac Nugent (0-1) (1f); Pat Crawley (0-3) (2f), Evan Kelly (0-3), Patrick Yourell (0-1).

Subs: Conal Diggins for Tobin (23), Andrew O’Brien (0-1) for Nugent (38), Sean McQuillan for Yore (44), Charles McCarthy for Yourell (44), Evan Demange for McCrudden (53).

Referee: Enda Kelly (Co Westmeath)