Louth hurlers defeated in Nicky Rackard Cup opener

The Louth Senior Hurlers fell to defeat against Roscommon in the opening round of the Nicky Rackard Cup on Saturday afternoon, losing on a score line of 1-20 to 1-14 in Dr. Hyde Park. 

It was a game that Trevor Hilliard’s men never really got control of with the home side settling into the game easily. Backed by a strong breeze Roscommon found their radar early on giving them a two-point lead by the fifth minute. 

However, just two minutes later Conor Murphy raised a green flag for the Wee County capitalizing on a mistake by the home defence before rifling his shot to the back of the net. Roscommon then responded with six unanswered scores to lead 0-8 to 1-0 by the midway point of the half. 

Louth struggled against the breeze in the first half whilst Roscommon used it to its full advantage to rattle over a number of impressive scores. By the twenty-third minute Louth found themselves six points down before a Fallon, Cosgrove, and Hardiman added further scores to give the Rossies a 0-15 to 1-2 lead at the break. 

Louth emerged from the tunnel after the interval renewed with the wind at their backs. Lynch, Geoghegan, and Kettle cut the deficit to five by the fiftieth minute before Roscommon responded with three unanswered points from Mulry and Murray. Lynch, McKeown, and Geoghegan added further points for Louth but Roscommon always managed to keep the visitors at arm’s length. 

The game was put to bed in the sixty-fifth minute as Four Roads forward Brendan Mulry buried his shot into the net. The ever-dangerous Mulry and Fallon were the Rossy’s star men throughout the game, finishing with a combined tally of 1-13. 

McCreesh, Geoghegan, and Lynch each chipped over consolation scores in added time for Louth after Mulry consolidated the Rossy’s lead even further with a well-taken score from play to end.  

Louth will now look to bounce back next week when they face a tough Armagh side in Dowdallshill. The Orchard County also lost their opening game in a seven-point defeat at home to Donegal on Saturday afternoon. Meanwhile, Roscommon will travel to Inniskeen to take on Monaghan. 

Louth: Conor Clancy, Andrew Smyth, Conor Quigley, Ronan Mulholland, George Allen, Adam Plunkett, Aaron McGuinness, Stephen Kettle (0-1), John Casey, Conor Murphy (1-0), Darren Geoghegan (0-6,4F) Seaghan Connelly (0-1), Patrick Lynch (0-4, 3F), James Costello, Peter Fortune. 

Subs used: Kyle Rafferty for Plunkett (11), Thomas McCreesh (0-1) for Costello (51), David Stephenson for Connelly (55), Ricky McKeown (0-1) for McGuinness (64), Dylan Carey for Casey (70). 

Roscommon: Enda Lawless, Mark Ward, Declan Leonard, James Dillon, Jack Donnelly, Conor Cosgrove (0-1), Jack Dowling (0-1), Darragh Finn (0-1), James Hardiman (0-2), Cian Murray (0-2), Adam Donnelly, Brian Lawlor, Brendan Mulry (1-4), Jason Martin, Paddy Fallon (0-9,8F). 

Subs used: Sean Canning for Donnelly (h-t), Conor Mulry for Martin (h-t), Liam Óg Coyle for Lawlor (67), Tommy Fleming for Donnelly (68). 

Referee: Ciaran O’Regan (Cork).