Another narrow defeat has Louth in a fight against relegation

It may not have been anything like the free-for-all Louth senior footballers were involved in a championship match with Laois back when the numbers on players’ backs clearly indicated where they were playing; but as then, in 1991, the early second half row in Sunday’s league tie at Ardee did nothing to benefit Louth as they faced off with Cavan.

In fact, it was hugely instrumental in two precious points going for export. With most eyes centred on the road goals after Cavan had picked off their second major, overturning Louth’s half-time lead, several players squared up at the other end of the field. It was unsavoury.

Referee Niall Cullen, like many others in the grounds, didn’t see what happened. But his assistants did, and after consulting with them, Cullen red-carded Louth’s Ciarán Downey and gave a yellow to two Cavan players.

From that you can only conclude that was Downey was the instigator. Why, only the player himself can answer.
Having played well to finish 2-3 to 1-5 ahead of the wind-assisted Cavan at the break, Louth never hit the front again after the Newtown Blues’ clubman’s dismissal.

It mattered not a whit whether or not Louth won the fight; when it was over, Cavan went on to build a six-point lead, and with the game well inside the final quarter it seemed a decision had been reached.

It must be said that Louth’s overall performance wasn’t without a lot of merit. There’d been a nice fightback after a bad defensive error let Cavan in for a 2nd minute goal, Sam Mulroy leading the charge by slotting home a penalty a minute later.

But most pleasing of all was the manner in which the Reds went about trying to dismantle what had looked an unassailable lead going in to the final quarter.

It helped that Cavan’s James Smith had been given a red card; but his dismissal came when three points separated the sides. That lead would be doubled with 14 minutes of regulation time remaining.

When Mulroy came in with a second goal on 22 minutes, Louth found a new energy. Legs began to run faster, and there was a determination to the Cavan goals as quickly as possible.

That wonderful warhorse, Tommy Durnin, reduced the lead to two points, and after Cian Madden pulled one back, Mulroy and supersub, Tom Jackson, pointed to put the minimum between the sides.

The announcement that there was to be six minutes of injury-time raised Louth hopes of getting at least a draw. Chances were created, but none was taken. Conor Grimes passed one up, as did Durnin with the last kick of the game.

A valiant Louth effort, but at the same time a defeat which could have been avoided had there been fewer mistakes, and, of course, had the discipline for which this team – and the one Mickey Harte had under his care – is noted not gone out the window.

Then there was the refereeing. You wonder when a Louth team is going to come off the field satisfied with the way in which the game had been handled, let it be in victory or defeat.

Played four, lost three. That’s Louth’s record. But given close examination, it will be seen that the aggregate loss in the three matches is just four points, one each each against Cavan and Armagh, and two against Meath. Yes, it can be a game of fine margins.

In their effort to pull clear of the relegation zone, Louth have two away and one at home in their remaining matches. First of the away matches is on tomorrow, unbeaten Donegal playing hosts at Ballyshannon. The two teams presently sitting behind Louth in the table are up after that, Fermanagh visiting Ardee before there’s a trip to Carlow for a meeting with Kildare.