U20 Footballers lose out to Louth in Eirgrid Leinster Semi Final clash

DUBLIN 1-9 

LOUTH 1-13

It proved a disappointing evening for Dublin as they succumbed to Louth by four points in their Eirgrid Leinster Under 20 Football Championship semi-final at Parnell Park on Tuesday evening.

It was the visitors that entered the break with a deserved 1-6 to 0-7 lead with a fortuitous goal towards the end of the first quarter by Sean Reynolds the pivotal moment of the first-half.

A Luke O’Boyle goal brought Dublin level within ten minutes of the resumption but it proved their only score from play of the second-half

It was Clyde Burke, so prominent in Dublin’s win over Meath a fortnight previously, that highlighted his threat early on as he weaved down the left before fisting over from an acute angle.

Despite not enjoying any kind of dominance around midfield, the hosts doubled their advantage through an excellent free from Paul Reynolds Hand in the 6^th minute before Louth gained some reward for their efforts as James Maguire converted a facile free within a minute.

A fine Aaron McGlew score levelled matters in an instant before Dublin regained some degree of control as both Burke and McNally landed classy points from distance.

However, that control was loosened in the 14^th minute as a speculative effort from Louth captain Reynolds deceived David Leonard in the home goal as it slipped off the netminder’s hands into the back of the net.

Dublin were in need of some inspiration at this stage and it duly arrived through another superb effort by McNally but Louth continued to impress as they regained their narrow lead thanks to a free by Kieran McArdle in the 18^th minute.

The influential McNally repeated the trick soon after but Louth’s dominance at midfield saw them push two-points clear by the interval through a fine Tadhg McDonnell effort and a brace of McArdle frees.

The visitors maintained their momentum after the break with a close-in free from McArdle in the 34^th minute leaving Dublin with a hill to climb.

The gradient should have become slightly easier in the 41^st minute as a counter-attack involving Burke culminated in Luke O’Boyle sneaking the ball home at the near post despite the best efforts of Cormac McKeown on the goal line.

Crucially, Dublin were unable to build on this levelling score as their opponents regained the initiative thanks to cracking points from distance from McDonnell and Cameron Maher in the ensuing three minutes.

When Dara McDonnell curled over a sublime effort at the start of the final quarter, the writing was on the wall for Dublin, even more so when McArdle and Tadhg McDonnell added to Louth tally as the contest evolved.

Late frees from Joe Quigley and Karl Flynn never looked likely to spare Dublin their fate as McArdle had the final word with an insurance score in added time that completed a deserved victory for the Wee County.

Scorers – Dublin: L O’Boyle 1-0, M McNally 0-3, P Reynolds Hand (2f), C Burke 0-2 each, J Quigley (f), K Flynn (f) 0-1 each. Louth: K McArdle 0-6 (4f), S Reynolds 1-0, T McDonnell 0-3, J Maguire (f), C Maher, D McDonnell, A McGlew 0-1 apiece.

Dublin: D Leonard; S Kirwan, F Bruton, E Nugent; J Smith, G McEneaney, M Gardiner; D Murphy, C McMorrow; M McNally, P Reynolds Hand, C Burke; L O’Boyle, J McCarville, J Quigley. Subs: J Brady for Gardiner (half-time), C Duggan for Smith (40), S Ryan for McMorrow (47), K Flynn for McCarville (48), E O’Connor Flanagan for Reynolds Hand (55).

Louth: C O’Donoghue; C McKeown, K Martin, C Maher; T McDonnell, F Tipping, L Flynn; D McDonnell, S Callaghan; A McGlew, P Grimes Murphy, J Maguire; K McArdle, S Reynolds, D Dorian. Subs: R Deery for Tipping (46), D Reilly for Dorian (51), C McGinty for D McDonnell (61).

Referee: David Hickey (Carlow).