NFL Div 2: Lennon goal central to shock Louth win over Meath
February 26, 2023
Louth's Donal McKenny with Jordan Morris Meath during the NFL Division 2 clash at Pairc Tailteann
Louth doubled their tally in the final quarter to overcome 14-man at Pairc Tailteann on Sunday afternoon when Craig Lennon’s goal was the key score. PHOTOS
Louth …….. 1-15
Meath ……… 1-12
Strong finishes to both halves were central to Mickey Harte’s men’s shock win, their second of the campaign.
With 50 minutes on the clock, Colm O’Rourke’s charges led 1-11 to 0-9. Louth outscored them 1-6 to 0-1 thereafter.
Lennon’s 62nd minute goal came from a Meath mistake in attack when possession was coughed up easily. Louth broke quickly to go ahead for the first time in the game, 1-13 to 1-11,
Just before that three Ciaran Downey points in four minutes boosted Louth’s bid. The Wee County side now have two wins from four outings.
Meath have a similar record, but have now lost their most recent league games.
The Royal County side shipped a heavy blow in the 24th minute when corner back Harry O’Higgins was red carded. His collision with Ciaran Murphy seemed innocuous. Even the awarding of a free seemed harsh.
Meath led by 0-5 to 0-2 at that stage. Louth closed out the half with four points in a row to forge a 0-6 to 0-5 interval lead.
Despite playing into the breeze blowing from the town end, Meath posted four unanswered points in the opening nine minutes despite Louth’s very defensive set up.
Meath managed just one more point in the remainder of the half, Jason Scully’s 20th minute effort that made it 0-5 to 0-2.
Early on Louth were guilty of passing up some gilt edged goal chances and had eight wides in the first 35 minutes to Meath’s five.
The big talking point of the half arrived in the 24th when Louth’s Ciaran Murphy came off second best in a collision with Meath’s Harry O’Higgins.
The Meath corner-back was deemed by Cavan official Joe McQuillan to be deserving of a straight red card, much to shock of all connected with the home side.
Louth gained parity for the first time through Daire McConnon’s 34th minute effort from play. In the fifth of four minutes of added time a Sam Mulroy free left the Wee County side ahead, 0-6 to 0-5, at the break.
Meath bossed the third quarter, moving five points clear by the 50th minute. Despite playing with the breeze, they found Louth’s defensive set-up impossible to breach.
Scorers: Louth - Craig Lennon 1-0; Ciaran Downey 0-3; Sam Mulroy 0-3 (2fs); Daire McConnon 0-3; Oisin McGuinness 0-1; Donal McKenny 0-1; Conor McCaul 0-1; Conor Early 0-1; Conor Grimes 0-1; Tommy Durnin 0-1. .
Meath - Donal Keogan 1-0; Jordan Morris 0-3; Shane Walsh 0-3 (1f); Mathew Costello 0-2; Jack Flynn 0-2; Ronan Jones 0-1; Jason Scully 0-1..
Louth - James Califf; Ian Jackson, Peter Lynch, Donal McKenny; Leonard Grey, Niall Sharkey, Anthony Williams;Conor Early, Ciaran Murphy; Tom Jackson, Ciaran Downey, Conall McKeever; Daire McConnon, Sam Mulroy (c), Conor Grimes. Subs - Craig Lennon for Jackson (12), Conall McCaul for Williams (14), Tommy Durnin for Grey (21), Bevan Duffy for Jackson (56), Jay Hughes for McConnon (69)
Meath - Harry Hogan; Adam O’Neill, Michael Flood, Harry O’Higgins; Jack O’Connor, Donal Keogan (c),Shane McEntee; Ronan Jones, Jack Flynn; Cillian O’Sullivan, MJason Scully, Darragh Campion; Jordan Morris, Mathew Costello, Shane Walsh. Subs -James O'Hare for McEntee (ht), Thomas O'Reilly for O'Sullivan (53), Eoin Harkin for Campion (55), Daithi McGowan for Scully (62), Diarmuid Moriarity for Jones (69).
Referee - Joe McQuillan (Cavan).
