Louth reach their first Leinster final since 2010

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Offaly began the second half well and took a two point lead but Louth responded brilliantly by scoring six unanswered points in a devastating six minute spell to put them four points clear with fifteen minutes remaining. Louth had their chances to kill the game off with Sam Mulroy seeing not one but two goalbound shots cleared off the line as Offaly somehow survived. the midlanders took full advantage of that double save as they chipped away at Louth’s lead before sending the game into extra-time with Anton Sullivan

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21-22 dublin street, dundalk. MoDels

½ leveling the game in the 74th minute.

Louth supporters nerves were thankfully eased pretty quickly during extra-time with Mickey harte’s side superior fitness shining through as they kicked five points unanswered with Sam Mulroy showing his undoubted class by scoring four of those five. St Mochtas man Craig Lennon also scored a couple of points late on to seal a 0-27 2-15 victory for Louth.

Louth will now face Dublin in a Leinster final for the first time since 1958 and will contest just their second Leinster Final in 63 years but manager Mickey harte knows that there is much more work to be done ahead of that showdown.

“We as a team can’t celebrate it because there is nothing to celebrate. We have to perform well in the Leinster Final because if not that would actually deflate the work we put in. it’s a big challenge to be competitive because they have the potential to rip us apart. We have to really work hard to be competitive. that’s our target for the next two weeks,” stated harte.

Scorers for Louth: Ciaran Downey 0-7, Sam Mulroy 0-6 (2fs), Craig Lennon 0-3, Dylan McKeown 0-2, tommy Durnin 0-2, Conor Grimes 0-2, Niall Sharkey 0-2, Conor

Early 0-2, Liam Jackson 0-1.

Louth: James Califf; Donal McKenny, Dan Corcoran, Ciaran Murphy; Leonard Grey, Niall Sharkey, Conall McKeever; tommy Durnin, Conor Early; Paul Matthews, Ciaran Downey, Conor Grimes; Ciaran Keenan, Sam Mulroy, Dylan McKeown.

Subs: Daire McConnon for Keenan 32, Liam Jackson for Matthews h/t, Craig Lennon for McKeown h/t, Peter Lynch for Murphy 46, Anthony Williams for McKeever 65. Ryan Burns for Jackson e/t, Conall McCaul for McConnon e/t, McKeever for Corcoran 83, Jackson for McKenny 85, Murphy for Grey 88.