Louth hurlers earn first league victory of the season with defeat of Lancashire

Allianz NHL Division 3A

Louth 2-12 Lancashire 1-13

Louth senior hurlers recorded their first victory in this year’s National League when they got the better of Lancashire on Saturday afternoon at the GAA Centre of Excellence in Abbotstown.

The sides were tied at three points a piece after 10 minutes of play. Louth then scored 1-5 without reply over the next 11 minutes with Darren Geoghegan grabbing the goal from close range.

They conceded the next four points, but still managed to lead 1-8 to 0-7 at the break.

Two further Geoghegan points and a major from substitute David Stephenson put the Wee County in control, leading by 2-10 to 0-8, on 44 minutes.

The Exiles did up their game, replying with a goal of their own from a 20 metre free by top-scorer Darren Crowley on 46 minutes.

His side went on to outscore Louth five points to two in the time that remained, but Paul McCormack’s charges - who suffered defeat at the hands of Roscommon and Tyrone in previous rounds - held out in the end for an important victory - one which gives them a real chance of avoiding relegation to the bottom tier.

Louth will now hope to bring this confidence into their home game against Armagh next Sunday afternoon, February 24, in Darver.

Louth: Donal Connolly; Ricky McKeown (0-1), Mike Lyons, Andrew Smyth; Stephen Kettle, Gerard Smyth, Andrew McCrave; Liam Molloy (0-1), Feidhelm Joyce; Darren Geoghegan (1-6, 0-4 frees), David Kettle (0-1), Conor Deane; Gerard McKeown (0-2), Seaghan Conneely, Cathal Minogue

Subs: David Stephenson (1-1) for Minogue (HT), Stephen Hoey for Andrew Smyth (HT), John Martin for McKeown (43), Pádraig Fallon for Gerard Smyth (54), Brian Minogue for Joyce (67)