Louth U20s in Leinster final

Louth U20 footballers pulled off a superb victory over Dublin at Parnell Park to advance to the 2024 EirGrid Leinster U20 Football Championship final where they will face neighbours Meath. 

The Wee County showed tremendous desire and passion in an exciting affair to end up eventual winners over the Dubs 1-13 to 1-9 to book their place in the final for the first time in twelve years. 

The visitors were first to concede when Clyde Burke fisted the ball over the bar in the opening minute to give Dublin the lead. Paul Reynolds-Hand added to their advantage from a free five minutes later. 

Seven minutes passed before James Maguire converted a free to get Louth off the mark. Aaron McGlew followed up with a score within sixty seconds to level things at 0-2 each. 

Dublin fired back with through scores from Burke and Mark McNally before Louth took the lead through an audacious Seán Reynolds goal. 

The Stabannon Parnells youngster let fly from distance with a spectacular effort and lobbed David Leonard in the Dublin goal. 

Both sides exchanged points with each other for the next ten minutes as McNally (2), and Reynolds-Hand scored for Dublin. 

Kieran McArdle and Tadhg McDonnell opened their accounts for Louth to bring the game to a draw. L

outh continued to attack, and McArdle was on target again with two frees from the marksman to give the Reds a two-point lead at halftime. Louth 1-6 Dublin 0-7.  

Half time 

The second half began the way the first half ended, through another McArdle free, before Dublin drew level when Luke O’Boyle hit the net.  

Dublin would fail to score for the next sixteen minutes as Louth dictated possession and increased their lead through some brilliant scores, particularly from T McDonnell (2), McArdle (1), and Seán Callaghan. 

Cameron Maher and Dara McDonnell added to Dublin’s misery as Louth led by five points with less than five minutes remaining. 

The home side clawed it back to a three-point game at the end before McArdle placed over a point for Louth to secure their place in the final. Louth 1-13 Dublin 1-9. 

Louth U20s manager Fergal Reel spoke of his pride after such a monumental effort from his entire young panel, not just the fifteen players and subs. 

Reel said: “You have to be proud of the effort the lads put in. The one word that springs to mind all the time is belief. 

“The belief to come to Parnell Park and perform to the potential they have within themselves and do it consistently over the hour. 

“Even when we conceded the goal, sometimes the fold would have happened – but it didn’t happen tonight,” he added. 

“We responded and responded massively, even stronger than ever so you have to take your hats off to them. 

“They’re an amazing group and not just the seventeen or eighteen that got on the pitch tonight or the twenty-four that stripped. 

He continued: “You have to speak about the forty-two that are on the panel and the in-house games that are played every week. 

“That’s what brings the competitive edge to it and brings the legs to them over the sixty-plus minutes. 

“It’s more than what was just on the pitch, I’m very mindful of that and the county in large should be mindful of that.” 

Although very proud of his side, the south Armagh native knows nothing is won yet and they must continue to bring the same performance and attitude into the final against Meath. 

“If you’re looking for something to be perfect and build your game as the competition develops you could probably say we have done that tonight,” he said. 

“People say that last week was our best performance to date so hopefully we are building on to that. But listen, it’s only a semi-final. 

“There’s nothing won because Meath are a big strong team with a lot of tradition also. So, we need the same again and more to finish the job.  

Reel stressed: “I don’t want to get carried away, at the end of the day we’re only after winning a semi-final. 

“We have to come back here next Monday evening to try and see it out and if we don't then the semi-final was for nothing.” 

Dublin: David Leonard; Seán Kirwin, Finn Bruton, Evan Nugent; Jamie Smith, Dan Murphy, Matthew Gardiner; Charlie McMorrow, Greg McEneaney; Clyde Burke (0-2), Paul Reynolds-Hand (0-2), Luke O’Boyle (1-0); Mark McNally (0-3), Jamie McCarville, Ryan Fahey.  

Substitutes: Ciarán Duggan for Smith (39), Senan Ryan for McMorrow (47), Karl Flynn for McCarville (48), Eoghan O’Connor-Flanagan for Reynolds-Hand (55). 

Louth: Cian O’Donoghue; Fionn Tipping, James Maguire (0-1, 0-1F), Ciormac McKeown; Tadhg McDonnell (0-3), Keelan Martin, Cameron Maher (0-1); Dara McDonnell (0-1), Seán O’Callaghan; Liam Flynn, Kieran McArdle (0-5, 0-3F), Pearce Grimes-Murphy; Aaron McGlew (0-1), Seán Reynolds (1-0), Darragh Dorian. 

Substitutes: Ronan Deery for Tipping (47), Daniel Reilly for Dorian (51), Conor McGinty for D McDonnell (60). 

Referee: David Hickey (Carlow).