Gallant Louth hurlers outdone by Roscommon goal rush

NICKEY RACKARD CUP ROUND 2

ROSCOMMON 5-8 LOUTH 1-17

Two defeats over successive weekends leaves the Louth hurlers propping up the current Nicky Rackard Cup table standings and in dire need of a win to avoid relegation.

However, they will be remembered as very contrasting defeats, as Paul McCormack's charges put behind them a 24-points drubbing away to Wicklow a week earlier by producing probably their best performance of the season in Darver on Saturday afternoon. 

The Rossies arrived at the Centre of Excellence as Division 3A champions and were firm favourites to pick up their first victory in the competition, despite their surprising loss to Louth in that league campaign. 

For long periods of this encounter the home side were the dominant team, with standout performances from the likes of Liam Molloy, Conor Quigley, Darren Geoghegan, Jamie McDonnell, Seaghan Conneely and Ryan Walsh. 

They had 18 scores compared to the 13 by the visitors and also had 14 wides, twice as many as their opponents. 

The Wee County even led by two points midway through the opening half, but the concession of three goals in a 10-minute period before the break left the home side with a mountain to climb.

Yet the nine points deficit at the break was reduced to just three by the final whistle and the Louth management will take great encouragement from this performance ahead of their clash in round three with Fermanagh in Darver on Sunday afternoon at 2pm. 

The home side wasted a couple of early opportunities before full forward Conor Mulry opened the scoring for the visitors with a point from play on four minutes. 

Their light weight, stature wise, free taker Paddy Fallon packed a good punch, and he added a point from a free inside his own half shortly after. 

A foul on Seaghan Conneely saw Darren Geoghegan reply with his side’s opening point from a 20-metre free on eight minutes, which was added to almost immediately by one from play via Ryan Walsh. 

The sides shared the next two points before successive scores from Geoghegan (free) and Mark Gahan, who earned a starting place for the injured Conor Murphy, had Louth leading by 0-5 to 0-3 on 21 minutes. 

The outcome of this match was determined, to their cost, by the concession of 3-2 over the next 12 minutes. 

Conor Mulry's initial shot was saved by keeper Ricky McKeown before netting the rebound. A point from midfielder Ryan Conlon from the left wing followed, before Adam Donnelly found the top right-hand corner from close range for goal number two.

They added another point from a Fallon long range free and goal number three was kicked to the net by Naos Connaughton on 34 minutes. Gahan and Fallon exchanged late points afterwards, leaving the visitors in front at the break by 3-6 to 0-6.

Louth reduced the deficit with a Darren Geoghegan point from play before being hit by a killer fourth goal on 41 minutes. Adam Donnelly's initial shot was saved by McKeown, with Paddy Fallon reacting quickest to net from close range.

Trailing now by 11 points, most teams would have accepted the inevitable. But not this Louth team clearly like a challenge and kept on fighting. 

A Liam Molloy effort was saved by keeper Enda Lawless, with Geoghegan firing over the resultant 65 metre free. He added another brace of points from frees before Molloy made up for the earlier miss by pointing from distance. 

Ryan Walsh pointed from a tight angle to the right of the post with Geoghegan adding another from a free, as their period of dominance continued. A second point of the half from Molloy had the deficit down to four points on 66 minutes, 4-6 to 0-14.

Roscommon replied with their first score for some 26 minutes when centre half back Conor Cosgrove pointed from the left wing.

Another goal bound effort from Ryan Walsh was saved by the hard working keeper, with the visitors breaking out quickly from defence. Sadly it saw Conor Mulry breaking and netting his side’s fifth goal on 68 minutes. 

Defender Conall Shaw pointed not long after the goal setback, before a good effort by substitute Aaron McGuinness Smith was again saved at the expense of another 65-metre free which Geoghegan converted. 

The sides shared late points in added time as Louth deservedly netted a late consolation goal from the stick of the impressive Ryan Walsh, however it was the visitors who welcomed the referees final whistle, holding on for the victory. 

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ROSCOMMON: Enda Lawless; Thomas Fleming, Mark Ward, Padraig Brennan; Darragh Finn, Conor Cosgrove (0-1), Jack Dowling (0-1); Brendan Mulry, Ryan Conlon (0-1); Naos Connaughton (1-0), Eoin Kiernan, Mickey Joe Egan; Paddy Fallon (1-3, 0-3 frees), Conor Mulry (2-1), Adam Donnelly (1-1). Subs: Hugh Rooney for Conlon (46), Joe Brennan for Fleming (50), Eamon Flanagan for Kiernan (52), Mikey Lohan for Egan (58).

LOUTH: Ricky McKeown; Jamie McDonnell, Conor Quigley, Danny Morgan; Conall Shaw (0-1), Liam Molloy (0-2), Peter Fortune; Adam Plunkett, Darren Geoghegan (0-9, 0-8 frees); Mark Gahan (0-3), Seaghan Conneely, Sean Kerrisk; Andrew Mackin, Padraig Fallon, Ryan Walsh (1-2). Subs: Aaron McGuinness Smith for Fallon (47), Tom Mathews for Mackin (52), Ronan Mulholland for Morgan (67).

REFEREE: Conor Daly (Kildare).