U20 Footballers Fall To Louth Defeat Despite Late Comeback

Image Courtesy Niall O'Connell

DUBLIN 1-13

LOUTH 2-13

Dublin’s late comeback proved in vain as they succumbed to Louth by three points in their Dalata Hotels Group Leinster Under 20 Football Championship Round 2 encounter at Parnell Park on Wednesday night.

Both teams started off their campaigns on a winning note but it was Louth that held a deserved 0-7 to 0-3 interval lead having played with the wind in the opening period.  

Goals after the break by Adam Gillespie (penalty) and Pauric Tinnelly effectively settled the issue but Dublin battled to the final whistle with Donach Magee’s goal prompting a frantic conclusion.

The visitors, who beat Westmeath comfortably on Friday night, opened the scoring through a Sean Flynn point in the 4th minute only for Oisín Costello to level matters within a minute.

Late replacement Andrew O’Reilly used the breeze at his back to kick an excellent two-pointer to restore Louth’s lead by the 8th minute.

Dublin were guilty of some sloppy passing initially but briefly halved their arrears thanks to Ryan Mitchell but their opponents were proving a tough nut to crack as they moved three points clear by the end of the first quarter through successive scores from Pearse Grimes Murphy and Adam Gillespie (free).

Parity could and should have been restored in the 17th minute as Louth were dispossessed close to goal but Luke O’Boyle saw his low shot well blocked by Tiernan Markey in the away goal.

The half ended with the visitors spurning a number of chances of extending their lead with Callum O’Dwyer’s point at the opposite end trimming Dublin’s deficit to four points by half-time.

The hosts wasted little time in halving their deficit with substitute Donach Magee and Cathal Hickey both pointing within three minutes of the resumption.

Parity was restored as O’Dwyer curled over a two-pointed free in the 35th minute but the stalemate didn’t last too long as Louth regained the initiative with scores in quick succession from Grimes Murphy and Conor Mac Criosta.

Matters deteriorated for Dublin in the 41st minute as Dara O’Sullivan was adjudged to upended Flynn close to goal and with O’Sullivan black carded, Gillespie powered home the resultant penalty past the diving Cillian Campion.  

Tony McDonnell kicked a brace of points to extend the away lead and while O’Dwyer replied with another two-pointed free, Dublin’s fate was sealed when Pauric Tinnelly crashed home in the 55th minute.     

The hosts finished strongly however through a Magee goal and a two-pointer by Rian Doherty and the latter could well have salvaged a draw for the Dubs but he dragged wide from close range with the last kick of the game.       

The Dubs will play their final group game away to Westmeath next Wednesday (April 8).

Scorers – Dublin: D Magee 1-2; C O’Dwyer 0-5 (2 F2); R Doherty 0-2 (1 P2); R Mitchell, L O’Boyle, O Costello, C Hickey 0-1 apiece. Louth: A Gillespie 1-2 (1-0pen, 0-2f); P Tinnelly 1-0; T Devaney, T McDonnell (1f), A O’Reilly (P2); P Grimes-Murphy 0-2 each; C Mac Criosta, S Flynn, S Lennon 0-1 apiece. 

Dublin: C Campion; J Donnelly, D O’Sullivan, S Keogh; D Lynch, C O’Connor, R Mitchell; F McGinnis, A Carolan; R Ennis, L O’Boyle, O Costello; C Hickey, C O’Dwyer, B Shouldice. Subs: D Magee for Ennis (half-time), S Ryan for Carolan (45), R Doherty for Hickey (45), C O’Connell for Donnelly (53), L Cahill for Shouldice (53), T Donnelly for Costello (Temp, 58).  

Louth: T Markey; P Tinnelly, M Reid, D Craven; M McGlew, C McKeown, T Devaney; C Hackett, C McGinty; A O’Reilly, S Lennon, P Grimes-Murphy; A Gillespie, S Flynn, C Mac Criosta. Subs: T McDonnell for O’Reilly (37), C McQuillan for Grimes-Murphy (61).   

Referee: Anthony Nolan (Wicklow).