Classy Louth see off Cavan with impressive away victory
Cavan 1-12 Louth 1-22
Louth senior footballers made it two Allianz National Football League Division Two wins in a row with a commanding 10-point victory over Cavan at Kingspan Breffni this evening.
The Wee County produced their most complete display of the campaign to date and dominated from early in the first half, never allowing the hosts back into the contest in any meaningful way.
Cavan opened the scoring inside 20 seconds through Cian Shekleton, but Louth responded immediately. A superb ball in from captain Sam Mulroy released Ryan Burns, whose effort for goal was tipped over the bar by goalkeeper Liam Brady.
Louth began to take control with the wind at their backs as Tadhg McDonnell kicked a superb two-pointer to edge them in front, and Mulroy followed with a two-point free a minute later.
Burns added another couple, and Ciarán Downey stretched the advantage further, and by the midway point of the half, Louth were firmly in charge.
Louth scored a goal with a sweeping move involving three passes. Niall McDonnell played a high ball to Mulroy, who passed with the outside of his boot for Burns, who slid a through ball for Downey, who finished calmly to the net.
Mulroy and Paul Mathews added further two-pointers before half-time to go in at the break 13 points clear. It was a dominant first-half performance, with T. McDonnell and Mulroy particularly influential, but every player in red contributed.
Half time: Cavan 0-6 Louth 1-16
Louth continued in the same vein after the restart when T. McDonnell opened the second-half scoring, while Burns, Downey and Conor Grimes all added points as the lead stretched beyond 15.
Kieran McArdle saw a goal effort saved, but soon raised a white flag to keep Louth firmly in control. Cavan did respond midway through the half as substitute Ciarán Brady palmed home a goal, and Paddy Lynch followed with a two-point free.
However, the visitors steadied again, with Downey finishing off a sharp counter-attack after good work from Craig Lennon.
From there, the Reds managed the game effectively. Cavan added late points through Gearóid McKiernan and Shekleton, but the outcome was never in doubt.
The final whistle confirmed an impressive win for Louth ahead of their next outing against Derry in Ardee in two weeks.
Cavan: Liam Brady; Jason McLoughlin, Paddy Meade, Brain O'Connell (0-1); Oisin Brady, Eoin Clarke, Gerard Smith (0-1); Ryan Brady (0-1); Conor Brady; Ciarán Brady (c), Tiarnan Madden, Peter Corrigan; Cian Shekleton (0-2), Patrick Lynch (0-4, 1tpf, 1 45), Dara McVeety (0-1).
Subs: Gearóid McKiernan (0-2, 2f) on for Eoin Clarke (15'), Niall Carolan on for Ryan Brady (0-1) (HT), Ciaran Brady (1-0) on for Gerard Smith (48'), Tiarnan Madden on for Ciaran Brady (48'), Thomas Smith on for Niall Corolan (69').
Louth: Niall McDonnell; Padraic Tinnelly, Dermot Campbell, Conall McKeever; Tadhg McDonnell (0-3, 1tp), Emmett Carolan, Craig Lennon; Dara McDonnell, Conor Early; Paul Mathews (0-3, 1tp), Sam Mulroy (c) (0-6, 1tp, 1tpf, 2f), Conor Grimes (0-1); Kieran McArdle (0-1), Ciarán Downey (1-4), Ryan Burns (0-4).
Subs: Ciarán Keenan on for Ryan Burns (43'), Eoghan Callaghan on for Conall McKeever (52'), Daire Nally on for Tadhg McDonnell (62'), Tommy Durnin on for Paul Mathews (65'), James Maguire on for Kieran McArdle (69')
Referee: Paul Faloon (Down).