Louth are the first team through to the Leinster junior football decider after outclassing Kildare by 1-18 to 0-10 at Newbridge.

On a hot, energy-sapping evening, it was the Reds who caught fire in the second half to earn a provincial final place in three weeks' time against either Wexford or Longford (who meet tomorrow).

Colin Kelly's charges led by three points at the end of a first half where the sides had been on level terms five times, 0-9 to 0-6, but kicked on thereafter to advance at their ease.

Quarter-final match winner Shane O'Hanlon, who left the fray injured  early on, had the visitors up and running inside the first minute but Chris Healy replied quickly before Chris Fenner fired the hosts ahead - only for Robbie Curran to respond from a free. An exchange of frees between Fenner and Tadgh McEneaney had the sides level for the third time.

The teams swapped points again midway through the first half and Fenner pointed the home side ahead by the odd point from nine after 16 minutes. McEneaney's free had them level for the fifth time after 17…

It was a score a minute as Dan O'Connell restored Louth's lead and Darragh Hamill ensured that two scores separated the sides for the first time - 0-7 to 0-5 with 20 minutes played and a lead that would not be relinquished. Dean Maguire increased the gap but Barry Coffey replied. Niall Sharkey pointed four minutes from the break to ensure that the Wee County had registered 50% more than their opponents at the short whistle.

The visitors put the game to bed within three minutes of the restart as captain Cathal Bellew's superb finish to the net was followed by quickfire points from Sean Hand, Hamill and Darragh Lafferty to leave nine between the teams - 1-12 to 0-6.

With the game effectively over, Fenner and Curran exchanged frees before Daniel Grehan pulled back another consolation point. Scores from Curran (2) and Lafferty made it an eleven-point affair at the three-quarters stage. McEneaney (free) cancelled out a Coffey effort and the Lilywhite U23s plundered a further score before - aptly - the unerring Curran closed the scoring.

Louth - K Brennan; C Leneghan, D Finn, C Ward; C Bellew (1-0), R Curran (0-5f), C Hoey; D O'Connell (0-1), A McKenna; N Sharkey (0-1), D Lafferty (0-2), D Hamill (0-2); T McEneaney (0-4), S O'Hanlon (0-1), D Maguire (0-1). Subs: H Osbourne for C Ward, S Hand (0-1) for S O'Hanlon, B Flanagan for D Lafferty, C Early for D O'Connell, C Doherty for D Maguire, J Clutterbuck for D Hamill.

Kildare - N Sherry; D Maguire, J Murray, S Higgins; R Tone, L Flynn, E Molloy; D Grehan (0-1), P Connell (0-1); A Burke, B Coffey (0-3), C Kavanagh; C Fenner (0-4), S O'Rourke, C Healy (0-1). Subs: E Boyle for T Kavanagh, D Hughes for L Flynn, M Hyland for E Molloy, L Power for A Burke.

Referee - C Dwyer.

Super Stuff!!! Louth advance to the Leinster Junior Championship Final
Louth 1-18 Kildare 0-10 #AnLAb pic.twitter.com/QhIEnMy4o5

- Louth GAA (@louthgaa) June 1, 2016

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