Louth hand Kildare seventh and final league defeat

Louth 1-12

Kildare 0-12

And so the Allianz Football League (Division 2) of 2024 has drawn to it's inevitable conclusion, for Kildare and Louth at least.

Of course before a ball was kicked in anger Kildare's fate had been decided but here was one last opportunity to put a point or two on the board; a last opportunity to show that the disaster of the 2024 league was not a true reflection of where The Lilies are at the minute.

Unfortunately that opportunity was not taken as Glenn Ryan's side ended up with zero points from seven games; relegation to Division 3 and to cap it all a dessperate fight on their hands now to reach the Leinster SFC final and ensure non-participation in the Tailteann Cup instead of the All-Ireland series.

Louth needed this win to retain their status and, in fairness they achieved that and deservedly so but spare a thought for Fermanagh, they finished no less than five points ahead of Kildare but are still relegated from where they came from 12 months ago.

Netwatch Cullen Park was the venue for this, Kildare's fourth 'home' game; a cold but dry evening in front of, hardly surprising, a smallish attendance .

Louth opened with a Tom Jackson point after seven minutes of toing and frooing with 15 players behind the ball depending who was in possession.

Paddy McDermott leveled up on eight as Eoin Doyle made a great block to deny Sam Mulroy, however the Naas man clearly picked up an injury in the process and was replaced some seven or eight minutes after.

Aaron Masterson, who was one of the most impressive players on the field, hit the first of his three excellent long-range points to edge the 'home' side in front before Louth got the vital score of the evening.

Attacking down the left wing, Conall McKeever cut inside the Kildare defence, got his pass away to Ryan Burns and the corner man found the net past Mark Donnellan to give Louth the lead 1-1 to 0-2 on 14 minutes.

Alex Beirne and Conall McKeever picked up early yellows while a foul on Sam Mulroy saw the Louth man convert the resultant free to extend the lead.

Kevin Feely found Dan Flynn and the Johnstownbridge man fired over.

Ryan Houlihan was next in the referee's little book on 23 minutes and three minutes later the Moorefield man, heavily strapped, was called ashore with Ryan Burke coming in.

Probably one of the best moves from a Kildare point view saw Aaron Masterson hitting a second point from distance and when Paddy Woodgate converted a free on 31 minutes the sides were level.

That point came from Kildare's full back line with Brian Byrne make an excellent catch, quickly finding Daniel Flynn with an top class kick pass, who in return found Woodgate with the Raheens man punching over.

Mick O'Grady was next into the yellow card column in the ref's book for a foul on Sam Mulroy who duly popped over the resultant free to regain the lead but before the break a foul on Paddy Woodgate saw him convert the free to tie it up at the break Kildare 0-6 Louth 1-3.

That half when Kildare enjoyed the benefit of the strong wind had been nothing short of a dour affair with everything that is wrong with football (when played in this fashion) on view for all to see, including the live TV viewers.

On the resumption it was Kildare who opened the strongest after a long ball in by Masterson caused a bit of panic in the Louth defence with a Shane Farrell goal attempt denied by a defender for a 45 in which Paddy Woodgate hit perfectly despite kicking into the wind, and Kildare led by one.

Ryan Burns soon had them level and with three points on the trot inside eight minutes from Mulroy (2) a free and a 45 along with another from Ryan Burns set up by Dermot Campbell and the visitors were suddenly three to the good mid-way through.

Aaron Masterson with another booming effort reduced the lead but Louth were sensing they had the measure of this Kildare side and added two from the boot of Conor Grimes and an excellent effort from Tom Jackson after Sam Mulroy showed his undoubted class with a lovely move to set him up.

Four points in it again Kildare knocked up their first wide of the second half through Alex Beirne but showed a bit of urgency after a move that began with Aaron Masterson, carried on by Ryan Burke and Shane Farrell ended with the Kilcock man being fouled and Kevin Feely fired over his first score of the game.

Darragh Kirwan, not long on, picked up a yellow card before Sam Mulroy made it 1-10 to 0-9 on 57 minutes.

Jack Sargent who came on early after Eoin Doyle picked up that knock in the first half made a timely intervention, the Eadestown man in fairness did well when introduced, he is a good reader of the game and not for the first time was in the right place at the right time.

Darragh Kirwan found the range; Ciaran Downey replied as the finishing line was in sight.

Louth, in one of their many dangeerous break-away moves saw Leonard Grey electing to punch over rather go for the net.

Kildare for the last few minutes threw everything into attack, at last, Kevin Feely converted a free; Darragh Kirwan made a mark but the ball was brought forward for some 'chatting' and the free was converted by Paddy Woodgate for the final score of the game with Louth winning and retaining their status 1-12 to 0-12.

SCORERS

Louth: yan Burns 1-2, Sam Mulroy 0-5 (4 frees, 45), Tom Jackson 0-2, Leonard Grey 0-1, Ciaran Downey 0-1, Conor Grimes 0-1

Kildare: Paddy Woodgate 0-4 (2 frees, 45), Aaron Masterson 0-3, Kevin Feely 0-2 (2 frees), Paddy McDermott 0-1, Daniel Flynn 0-1, Darragh Kirwan 0-1.

TEAMS

Louth: Niall McDonnell; Donal McKenny, Dermot Campbell, Peter Lynch; Conall McKeever, Anthony Williams, Leonard Grey; Tommy Durnin, Ciaran Murphy; Tom Jackson, Ciaran Downey, Conor Grimes; Ryan Burns, Sam Mulroy cpt., Ciaran Keenan. Subs: Craig Lennon for Ciaran Murphy (39 minutes); Liam Jackson for Tom Jackson (63 minutes); Dan Corcoran for Ciaran Keenan (70 minutes); Niall Sharkey for Ryan Burns (90 minutes).

Kildare: Mark Donnellan; Ryan Houlihan, Mick O’Grady cpt, Shea Ryan; Paddy McDermott, Eoin Doyle, Brian Byrne; Aaron Masterson, Luke Killian; Alex Beirne, Shane O'Sullivan, Shane Farrell; Kevin Feely, Daniel Flynn, Paddy Woodgate. Subs: Jack Sargent for Eoin Doyle (17 minutes); Ryan Burke for Ryan Houlihan (26 minutes); Darragh Kirwan for Shane O'Sullivan (50 minutes); Barry Coffey for Dan Flynn (63 minutes); Rian Teahan for Shane Farrell (66 minutes)

Referee Joe McQuillan, Cavan.