Louth lost for the second league match running with a 13-point defeat in Cavan tonight

Allianz National Football League

Cavan 3-17 0-13 Louth

It's two games and two defeats for Louth in this year's Allianz National Football League following tonight's 13-point loss to Cavan at Kingspan Breffni Park.

Despite ending the first-half strongly, Pete McGrath's side faded badly during a second-half in which Cavan out-scored the visitors 3-7 to five-points . And, just like in last week's match with Down, the opposition were able to spring seasoned campaigners like Cian Mackey and Gearóid McKiernan off the bench as the visitors tired, with the former contributing 0-4 in the second-half.

Cork and Roscommon now await in successive matches meaning Louth's Division Two future looks bleak as they remain the only pointless team of the eight competing.

The impressive Caoimhín O'Reilly opened the scoring from a free in the first-minute . That set the tone for the hosts' strong start as the Breffni men raced into an eight-points to two lead after 17-minutes. Andy McDonnell and Declan Byrne offered Louth's only resistance during this period.

Though, having sorted out some of their defensive problems, the Reds began to come to the fore a bit more with Bevan Duffy coming forward well. A free from Ryan Burns ended their 13-minute scoreless spell and from there to the end of the half, Louth out-scored Cavan by five-points to two with Burns ('45 and a free), Byrne and Jim McEneaney (2) finding range.

Trailing 0-10 to eight at the break, Burns immediately cut the gap to a single-point. However, Cavan simply pulled away thereafter with three Cian Mackey points coming amidst close-range goals from Bryan Magee and Ciarán Brady. The latter's goal was a particularly poor concession considering Brady was afforded total freedom in front of goal.

And a third major was to go the way of the home side as Niall Clerkin palmed home at the back post.

Burns hit four second-half points, each from dead-balls, as he finished the contest with seven-points , while McGrath introduced Conor Earley and Ciaran Downey for their league debuts. But, in truth, these were the only positives in an otherwise miserable night.

Cavan: James Farrelly; Niall Murray, Pádraig Faulkner, David Phillips; Óisín Kiernan (0-3), Ciarán Brady (1-0), Martin Reilly (0-2); Killian Clarke, Bryan Magee (1-3, 0-2 frees); Dara McVeety, Conor Moynagh, Enda Flanagan (0-1); Caoimhín O'Reilly (0-4, three frees), Adrian Cole, Niall Clerkin (1-0)

Subs: Cian Mackey (0-4, one free) for Phillips (33), David Brady for Cole (HT), Conor Bradley for Flanagan (54), Gearóid McKiernan for O'Reilly (59), Stephen Murray for McVeety (60, black card), Seán McCormack for Magee (63)

Booked: Phillips (30), Clarke (69), Bradley (72)

Louth: Craig Lynch; John Bingham, Emmet Carolan, James Craven; Derek Maguire, Bevan Duffy, Anthony Williams; Tommy Durnin, James Stewart; Jim McEneaney (0-2, one free), Andy McDonnell (0-1), Declan Byrne (0-2); Ryan Burns (0-7, five frees & two '45), Conor Grimes, William Woods

Subs: Gerard McSorley for Byrne (50), Tadhg McEnaney for Woods (50), Darren Marks for Craven (56), Ciarán Downey (0-1) for McEneaney (57), Conor Earley for Stewart (65)

Booked: Duffy (7), Carolan (43)

Referee: Jerome Henry (Mayo)