Flood's hat-trick helps Louth ladies to 41-point league win over Kilkenny

Lidl National Football League Division Four

Kilkenny 1-1 Louth 7-24

Micheál McKeown's reign as Louth ladies manager got off to an emphatic start thanks to a 41-point win over Kilkenny in Portlaoise on Sunday afternoon.

Six of the Wee County's goals came during a first-half in which Kate Flood scored a hat-trick.

Louth were 4-4 to no-score to the good by the end of the first-quarter with Flood's point in the opening-minute preceding four goals in just five-minutes - Paula Murray, Flood (2) and Lauren Boyle the goalscorers.

Susan Byrne registered the first of her two majors prior to Flood completing her three goal-haul.

Kilkenny grabbed their three-pointer in the lead-up to the interval, but, by that stage, the visitors had struck 6-12 as they took a 26-point cushion to the interval.

The respite the break provided was only temporary for the Noresiders, however, as Louth resumed their offensive onslaught in the second-half, while simultaneously managing to keep Kilkenny scoreless.

Byrne added the only goal of the half as Louth emptied their bench, making changes to all 14 outfield positions.

Leanne Sharkey impressed upon her introduction, scoring four-points as the Wee County got their Division Four campaign off to a flying start.

Next up is a home match with Carlow on Sunday.

Louth: Una Pearson; Éilís Hand, Michelle McArdle, Shannen McLoughlin; Ceire Nolan, Deirbhile Osborne, Bronagh McGrane; Sineád Woods, Emma Singleton; Paula Murray (1-4), Aoife Russell (0-4), Susan Byrne (2-0); Emma McArdle (0-2), Kate Flood (3-4), Lauren Boyle (1-3)

Subs: Alannah Conlon (0-1) for Emma McArdle, Leanne Sharkey (0-4) for Boyle, Róisín Kavanagh for Woods, Eimear Murray for McLoughlin, Gráinne Murray for Hand, Rachel Kane for Michelle McArdle, Niamh Quigley for Singleton, Sarah Englishby for Nolan, Róisín Osborne for Byrne; Rebecca Howell (0–2) for Russell, Orlagh McGeeney for Flood, Ruth Hanna for Murray, Fionnuala Begley for McGrane