Louth ladies continued their 100% start to the NFL with victory over Carlow this afternoon

Lidl National Football League Division Four

Louth 2-9 Carlow 1-6

Louth ladies made it two wins from two in Division Four of the Lidl National Football League with an impressive victory over Carlow at Darver on Sunday.

The Wee County girls led from start-to-finish and, while a late rally from Carlow reduced their winning tally to six, they controlled proceedings throughout.

Particularly impressive was the home side's half-forward line of captain Paula Murray, Aoife Russell and Susan Byrne. Murray netted her side's second goal and played a key-role in several other Louth scores, cutting inside from the right-wing, while Russell and Byrne impressed with two-points apiece.

Corner- foward Lauren Boyle scored three fine points having sustained a blood injury in the first-half, while Kate Flood acted as the focal point in the attack, effectively making herself available for supply.

Defensively, Shannen McLoughlin and Ceire Nolan - prior to sustaining a knock - were standout performers.

In saying this, however, Micheál McKeown will recognise his team have things to work on. While several players performed impressively on an individual basis, there were instances where the team-play was lacking, particularly in the closing-quarter where they allowed Carlow to score four of the final five-points .

Much of the reasoning behind Louth's comfortable victory was due to their commanding start where Russell, Deirbhile Osborne, Byrne and Murray found range as they raced into a four-points to no-score lead.

The hosts were completely dominant at this stage, though, against the run-of-play, Carlow found the net when a Aoibhinn Gilmartin free-kick rebounded kindly off the post for Róisín Byrne to palm home with the Louth defence stood static.

However, the Wee County hit straight back with a goal of their own at the other end as Flood dispatched a penalty to the net. And the home side almost had a second major when a beautiful pass from Murray found Byrne en route to goal. The winger's vicious shot was three-pointer bound only for the ball to crash off the face of Carlow 'keeper Nicole Hanley - who was temporarily replaced - and out for a '45.

Leading 1-4 to 1-1 at the interval, Louth quickly put the match to bed as Murray's dropping effort fortunately found the net. Hanley looked in a good position to clear it off the line, however, with the ball hitting the inside of the post, Louth's second major was the outcome.

Boyle (2), Byrne, Flood and Russell raised white flags as the Louth attack threatened to run riot. But, credit Carlow, they battled back to put some guise of respectability on the scoreline. Though, Louth remained comfortable victors.

Louth: Una Pearson; Éilís Hand, Michelle McArdle, Shannen McLoughlin; Ceire Nolan, Deirbhile Osborne, Bronagh McGrane; Sineád Woods, Emma Singleton; Paula Murray (1-1), Aoife Russell (0-2), Susan Byrne (0-2); Lauren Boyle (0-3), Kate Flood (1-1, goal pen), Leanne Sharkey

Subs: Alanna Conlon for Boyle (blood sub), Niamh Quigley for Osborne, Eimear Murray for Ceire Nolan, Boyle for Conlon, Rebecca Howell for Sharkey

Carlow: Nicole Hanley; Ciara Nolan, Amy Dooley, Oonagh Fitzpatrick; Nuala Mohan, Ann Roche, Orlagh Hickey; Ellen Atkinson, Muireann O'Sullivan; Niamh Byrne (0-1), Sineád Ruth (0-1), Aoibhinn Gilmartin (0-2, one free); Marion Hayden, Kate Nolan, Róisín Byrne (1-1)

Subs: Bríd Whelan (0-2) for Hanley (temporary sub), Hanley for Whelan, Elaine Ware for Róisín Byrne, Whelan for Hayden, Leona Kelly for Nolan, Amy Monaghan

Referee: Kevin Phelan (Laois)