Late goals from Ryan Burns (1-7) and Anthony Williams helped Louth to a 2-24 to 3-11 victory over Carlow at sunny O'Moore Park.

The Wee County will now face neighbours Meath next month for a place in the provincial semi-finals, while the losers - who competed much better today than the final scoreline suggests - are the first team to go into the first-round SF Qualifier draw.

In what was an evenly-contested and rather tame affair for the most part, there were just two points between the teams with 14 minutes remaining, 0-17 to 2-9, but the victors finished strongly to advance to the last eight in the province. Burns and Williams netted in the 70th and 71st minutes respectively to put the game to bed.

With Geraldines clubman Jim McEneaney on target three times, Colin Kelly's charges led by five points at the short whistle, 0-11 to 0-6.

Proceedings started three minutes early and Sean Gannon had the underdogs up and running first inside 15 seconds before the Wee County equalised quickly through James Califf.

Quickfire points from Burns (free) and Declan Byrne edged Louth two in front and the Division Four winners appeared to be in complete control after Derek Maguire smashed over a sumptuous strike off the outside of his right peg and McEneaney added another - 0-5 to 0-1 after ten minutes.

Corner back Brendan Kavanagh had his score cancelled out by St Mochtas clubman Byrne and inspirational midfielder Brendan Murphy tagged on the next super score of the day in the 15^th minute as the Barrowsiders moved within three.

Conor Grimes and Paul Broderick (free) traded scores and Murphy's second stunning point of the day had the outsiders back within two points with eleven minutes left before the break. The Wee County had gone eleven minutes without a point but then hit two inside 30 seconds from Burns (free) and McEneaney, this after Carlow had recorded three morale-sapping wides.

McEneaney's third point of the game was a magnificent strike to make it double scores and Califf added to the winners' tally before Carlow captain Darragh Foley closed the first-half scoring by clipping over a simple free from flush in front of the posts.

Chris Blake's 38^th-minute goal drew Carlow back within the minimum after Foley had opened the second-half scoring from a free, but a Burns free at the other end steadied Louth and Califf smashed over yet another free to make it 0-13 to 1-7 after 45 minutes.

Foley and Califf swapped frees before Louth registered their first two second-half scores from play courtesy of Maguire and Burns to lead by five with three-quarters of the match elapsed. But Carlow came right back into contention in the 53rd minute when centre forward Darragh O'Brien was allowed to stroll unchallenged through the Louth defence before planting his shot in the back of the net - 0-16 to 2-8.

A Burns free restored the three-point difference but back came Carlow again with a terrific finish from centre back John Murphy before Burns' 63^rd-minute free left three in it once more. Califf's smashing free from 50 yards represented the insurance score for the victors and substitute Gerard McSorley pointed within seconds of his introduction to leave five between them with as many minutes left.

Burns replied quickly to a Foley free and James Stewart fisted a point before Foley pulled back a 69^th-minute consolation point from a free. Louth registered the goal their general play merited when Burns smashed the ball to the net in the 70^th minute to leave eight points between the sides.

With the game over as a contest, Anthony Williams flicked the winners' second major home in the second minute of injury time and the final points of the game came from substitute Ronan Holcroft and Grimes before Broderick netted a late, late penalty for the Qualifier-bound Barrowsiders.

Louth - C Lynch; K Toner, P Reilly, P Rath; D Maguire (0-2), D McMahon, A Williams (1-0); J Stewart (0-1), J Califf (0-5, 3f); D Byrne (0-2), J McEneaney (0-3), C McKeever; R Burns (1-7, 0-5f), C Grimes (0-2), B Duffy. Subs: R Moore for B Duffy, G McSorley (0-1) for C McKeever, R Holcroft (0-1) for J McEneaney.

Carlow - R Molloy; B Kavanagh (0-1), D St Ledger, K Nolan; H Gahan, J Murphy (0-1), G Kelly; Brendan Murphy (0-2), S Gannon (0-1); D Lunney, D O'Brien (1-0), A Kelly; P Broderick (1-1, 0-1f 1-0pen), D Foley (0-5f), C Blake (1-0). Subs: Brian Murphy for D Lunney, G Power for J Murphy, D Smithers for C Blake, E Finnegan for G Kelly.

Referee - N Mooney.

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