Missed chances cost Louth in Meath loss
Meath triumph over Louth in Allianz Football League Division 2 clash
Allianz Football League Division 2
MEATH 1-11
LOUTH 1-9
Louth headed to the lion's den well aware of what was at stake on Sunday, but this time Meath were ready and waiting for them. Naivety was a lesson the hosts harshly learned last year. This time Colm O’Rourke’s charges rode their luck and got out on the right side of the result.
Ger Brennan’s visitors missed four goal chances, two in either half and all at crucial junctures when Louth were struggling to break Meath’s momentum. When Tom Jackson’s late goal crashed in it was too late despite a heart in the mouth scramble at the very death.
Anticipation dissipated the closer to throw in. Louth were on course for a sixth match unbeaten against Meath in Páirc Tailteann and the burden of the law of averages was heavy.
That amplified more with the news of last season's hero Craig Lennon out of the starting fifteen through injury. The feeling of inevitably was never breached.
Meath started brighter with early pressure and possession. Louth, on the back foot conceded an early Matthew Costello free. Niall McDonnell clipped a few early restarts awry to compound matters.
Louth soon settled through a Sam Mulroy turnover after a stinging block. Ciarán Kiki Keenan pointed off the back of his captain's endeavour but the Ardee man’s involvement in the game was only beginning.
In between Shane Walsh’s and Jack O’Connor next two points. Both Keenan and Conor Grimes spurned really glaring goal chances. That would have boosted Louth after a sluggish start and made the hosts scratch their heads.
As it transpired Louth did draw level through a Mulroy advanced mark. Meath would take the lead again in copycat fashion; a mark from Daithí McGowan. Louth exhausted themselves but did have a one point lead at half time to show for it.
Mulroy and Conor Early, who was having a fantastic game, put Louth 0-06 to 0-05 ahead at the turn. That sinking feeling rising again, that inevitability that the men in red should have been further ahead and would rue it come the finishing tally.
Start of the second half, Mulroy boomed over a long range free.
That allowed Louth to build more pressure on a struggling Séan Brennan in the Meath goal. That was Louth’s best avenue to attack all afternoon.
Ryan Burns was enjoying a fine outing. The Hunterstown man pointed his third and fourth point to put Louth four points in front in the 41st minute. However then the malaise set in. The long slow march.
Overplaying possession and a couple of Sam Mulroy slips on the touchline afford Meath easy access to getting into the game. Credit to Colm O’Rourke’s charges they pushed up and aggressively upped the ante. Louth with a bit of white line fever could never get to the pitch of the game again.
Meath defiantly struck an unanswered 1-06 to no reply. Each score getting the appropriate roar from the home stand. Louth could not break momentum and Keenan was denied again on two occasions for raising the green flag.
A possible penalty call was missed but that desperation stuff rattled Louth’s focus. Matthew Costello went the other end and smashed home the match clinching goal.
Louth dug deep again when substitute Tom Jackson fired a snapshot to leave a frantic finish. Meath would hold out.
MEATH: Seán Brennan; Donal Keogan, Adam O’Neill, Michael Murphy; Ciarán Caulfield, Darragh Campion, Seán Coffey; Ronan Jones, Cian McBride; Daithí McGowan 0-2 (1m), Eoghan Frayne 0-2, Jack O’Connor 0-2; Ruairí Kinsella, Mathew Costello 1-2 (0-2f), Shane Walsh 0-3. Subs: Cathal Hickey for Kinsella (HT), Brian O’Halloran for Murphy (48), Aaron Lynch for O’Connor (63), Danny Dixon for McGowan (63), Adam McDonnell for Campion (70).
LOUTH: Niall McDonnell; Peter Lynch, Dermot Campbell, Donal McKenny; Ciarán Murphy, Anthony Williams, Conall McKeever; Conor Early 0-1, Tommy Durnin; Paul Mathews, Ciarán Keenan 0-1, Conor Grimes; Ryan Burns 0-4, Sam Mulroy 0-3 (2f, 1m), Ciarán Downey. Subs: Niall Sharkey for Murphy (HT), Dylan McKeown for Downey (54), Leonard Grey for Williams (63), Tom Jackson 1-0 for Keenan (68), Wayne Campbell for Early (68).
REF: Liam Devenney (Mayo).