Heartbreak for Louth hurlers as Donegal strike in the last minute

Allianz NHL Division 3A

Louth 1-10 Donegal 2-9

Louth hurlers were only seconds away from recording a deserved victory in Division 3A of the National Hurling League in windy conditions in Darver on Sunday afternoon.

But, heartbreakingly for Paul McCormack’s men, visitors Donegal grabbed what turned out to be the match-winning goal with the last puck of the sliotar, five minutes into injury-time.

The Reds had the elements in their favour in the opening half and were five points to the good on 21 minutes. All of The Wee County’s scores came via Robert ‘Bob’ Grace frees, the St, Fechin’s man earning a starting place at the expense of regular free-taker Darren Geoghegan.

It took all of 24 minutes before wing-back Niall Cleary accounted for the Ulster side’s opening score with a point from play.
Full-forward Declan Coulter added another point for the visitors, also from open play, before the impressive Andrew McCrave struck over Louth’s sixth score of the half on 29 minutes, 0-6 to 0-2.

One feared that this opening half tally of points would not be enough against a team of Donegal’s quality and Coulter increased this unease when he added another brace of points late in the half to leave his side trailing by just 0-6 to 0-4 at the break.

It didn’t take long for Donegal to get on level terms, in fact, just 60 seconds, when Ronan McDermott fired over from long range, which was added to almost immediately by another from Coulter from close to the target, from right of the posts.

A foul on David Kettle presented Grace with the opportunity to grab the home team’s first point of the second half on 45 minutes. This would be his last contribution and he was replaced from the bench by Geoghegan soon after.

Midfielder Darren O’Hanrahan was making his first start of this league campaign for Louth and he wasted a good opportunity to net his side’s first goal when his effort from close range was just wide of the target.

A good point from play by substitute Colm Flood on 52 minutes had the visitors in front for the first time in this match, 0-8 to 0-7, and five minutes later, danger man Coulter got away from his marker, Liam Molloy, and was picked out by a team-mate to finish off a good move by firing past ’keeper Gerard Smyth for the game’s opening goal.

That score would normally have knocked opponents for six, but not this Louth team who have been displaying a quality missing for the last couple of seasons.

O’Hanrahan and Coulter exchanged points from play before a pass by substitute Ryan Walsh played Andrew Mackin in and despite being tackled by two defenders he managed to scramble the ball to the net, on 60 minutes.

From a foul awarded to Kettle, the reliable Geoghegan fired over an equalising point, 1-9 apiece, before, four minutes into stoppage time, stalwart Shane Callan struck what looked like a matchwinner for Louth from a tight angle.

However, from the resultant puck-out, an error in the defence, which saw the sliotar dropped by Smyth, allowed midfielder Danny Cullen to pounce to fire high to the net from close range to clinch the spoils.

Next up for Louth is a trip to the Athletic Grounds this Sunday, February 23, and a clash in round four against joint-table toppers Armagh, at 2pm.

Louth: Gerard Smyth; Andrew Smyth, Liam Molloy, Conor Mathews; Jamie McDonnell, Conor Deane, Andrew McCrave (0-1); Darren O’Hanrahan (0-1), Donal Ryan; Robert Grace (0-6, frees), Shane Callan (0-1), Feidhelm Joyce; David Kettle, Seaghan Conneely, Andrew McCrave (1-0)

Subs: Stephen Kettle for Deane (HT), Darren Geoghegan (0-1, free) for Grace (50), Ryan Walsh for Conneely (55)

Donegal: Luke White; Mark Callaghan, Stephen Gillespie, Padraig Doherty; Jack O’Loughlin, Seán McVeigh, Niall Cleary (0-1); Joe Boyle, Danny Cullen (1-0); PJ McCarron, Lee Henderson, Ronan McDermott (0-1); Gerry Gilmore, Declan Coulter (1-6, 0-2 frees), Sam Doherty

Subs: Michael Donoghue for O’Loughlin (20), Conor O’Grady for Doherty (41), Colm Flood (0-1) for Callaghan (43), Ryan Hifferty for Cleary (61)

Referee: Gearoid McGrath (Wexford)