Louth 1-19
Wicklow 1-14
John Fallon reports from Parnell Park
LOUTH WERE PUSHED all the way by a gallant Wicklow side but in the end had enough firepower to see them advance to a Leinster SFC quarter-final meeting with Meath.
For a time it seemed like Wicklow would secure their first win since 1987 over Louth but while they remained in contention throughout, they never really pushed ahead.
Louth raced into a 1-2 to 0-1 lead after 11 minutes when Eoin O’Connor finished a delivery from Anthony Williams to the net.
But Wicklow bounced back with a couple of frees from Seanie Furlong before Mark Kenny pounced on a quick kickout to race through and score.
Scores flowed at both ends throughout the opening half but Louth finished the half strongly four unanswered points from Padraig Rath, Padraic Smith, Eoin O’Connor and Ryan Burns to lead by 1-11 to 0-7 at the break.
The impressive Paul Cunningham and Seanie Furlong gave Wicklow hope with points after the restart against the breeze, with Louth only managing an effort Burns as they shot half a dozen wides in the third quarter.
Cunningham and Furlong hit another brace for Wicklow and then Kenny tied the game at 1-12 apiece after 51 minutes.
Wicklow goalkeeper Robert Lambert produced a great save to deny Tommy Durnin going into the final quarter, but Louth kept up the pressure and opened up a 1-15 to 1-12 lead thanks to efforts from Burns and subs Jim McEneaney and Declan Byrne.
Points from John McGrath and goalkeeper Lambert cut the gap to a point with four minutes remaining.
But Louth pulled away in the closing moments with a string of points to seal a hard-earned win.
Scorers for Louth: Ryan Burns 0-6 (0-4f, 0-1 ’45), Eoin O’Connor 1-2, Padraic Smith 0-2, Jim McEneaney 0-2, Declan Byrne 0-2, Padraig Rath 0-1, Conal McKeever 0-1, Bevan Duffy 0-1, Ruairi Moore 0-1, Gerard McSorley 0-1.
Scorers for Wicklow: Mark Kenny 1-1, Seanie Furlong 0-4 (0-3f), Paul Cunningham 0-3 (0-1f), Robert Lambert 0-1 (0-1f), Daren Hayden 0-1, David Boothman 0-1, Dean Healy 0-1, Conor Ffrench 0-1, John McGrath 0-1.
Louth
1 Craig Lynch (Naomh Mairtin)
2 Padraig Rath (Dreadnots)
3 Patrick Reilly (St Brides)
4 Kevin Carr (Newtown Blues)
5 Conal McKeever (Clan na Gael)
6 John Bingham (Naomh Mhuire)
7 Anthony Williams (Dreadnots)
19 Darren Marks (Mattock Rangers)
9 Tomy Durnin (Na Hiartharaigh)
10 James Stewart (Dundalk Gaels)
11 Paric Smith (Dreadnots)
12 Bevan Duffy (St Fechins)
13 Ruair Moore (O’Raghallaighs)
14 Eoin O’Connor (St Patrick’s)
15 Ryan Burns (Hunterstown Rovers)
Subs:
18 Darren McMahon (St Mochta’s) for Williams (BC 14)
21 Jim McEneaney (Geraldines) for Duffy (47)
26 Declan Byrne (St Mochta’s) for Moore (51)
25 Sam Mulroy (St Martin’s) for Burns (55)
24 Gerard McSorley (Dundalk Gaels) for Smith (59)
17 Kurt Murphy (Sean Mathuna) for Marks (71)
Wicklow
1 Robert Lambert (Aughrim)
2 Ciaran Hyland (Geraldines-Ballymoney)
3 Stephen Kelly (Eire Og Greystones)
4 Brendan Kennedy (An Tochar)
5 Darren Hayden (Eire Og Greystones)
6 Paul McLoughlin (Blessington)
7 John Crowe (Naomh Padraig)
8 David Boothman (Blessington)
9 Niall Gaffney (Bray Emmets)
24 Gary Allen (Dunlavin)
11 Dean Healy (Naomh Padraig)
12 Conor Ffrench (Naomh Padraig)
13 Mark Kenny (Ballymanus)
14 Seanie Furlong (Kiltegan)
15 Paul Cunningham (Bray Emmets)
Subs:
21 Anthony McLoughlin (Blessington) for Boothman (59)
26 John McGrath (Baltinglass) for Cunnigham (59)
19 Peadar Traynor (Hoylywood) for McLoughlin (63)
10 Rory Finn (Naomh Teagain) for Kenny (70)
Referee: Niall Cullen (Fermanagh).
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