Heartbreak for Louth Minors as they succumb to last gasp Offaly winner

Leinster Minor Football Championship Quarter-final

Offaly 2-11 Louth 1-13

There was more heartbreak for Louth GAA fans as the Minors’ quest for a Leinster title was ended was by Offaly on Tuesday night.

The home side had to dig so deep to get the win, one which they snatched from the Wee County in the dying moments of this Quarter Final. The winning point from Fionn Carney coming a little after the three minutes of announced injury time.

That was the penultimate kick of the game and a gutted Louth had no chance to recover, with the referee calling for the ball from the kickout.  What hurt even more was that they had possession of the ball. And when getting turned over for what ended up being the winning score, it seemed as though the time was up.

Instead, the referee let play continue, as Carney brilliantly made the space for himself and fired the ball over the bar from 30 metres out with his left foot. 

The home side looked like they were heading for defeat when Louth scored five points on the trot to take the lead with 15 minutes left. They were on top in every sector at this stage, but sadly the tide turned and ultimately they were pipped by a late point.   

Amazingly David Reid and Johnny Clerkin’s troops didn't score again in the closing quarter, and in the last few minutes Offaly began to attack with renewed menace to get over the line.

The equaliser was an audacious score from Cillian Foran in the 58th minute, as he arrowed the ball over with the outside of his left foot from well out on the wing. Louth's bolt was shot, though they were so close to forcing extra time. This would’ve been a lottery with several players tipping over into empty.  

Louth did have a couple of late attacks, but the Offaly defence were now unbreachable, and they didn't manage another shot. If there was to be a late winner, it was going to come from Offaly and that honour fell to Fionn Carney.

Cillian Bourke once again gave a master class in midfield. Some of his play was just a joy to observe and he was the standout figure in the game. Mark Mulrooney worked very hard beside him. Their ability to outwork Conor McGinty and Lorcan Buckley when it mattered having a huge impact on the game.

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Overall, it was a very entertaining game of football, played in a very clean and sporting spirit by two sides who just wanted to play the game.

It made for compelling viewing as it went from end to end and was full of swings and roundabouts. On a near perfect evening for football, Offaly made a blistering start and had 1-2 on the board before Louth woke up.

Cian Bracken had the ball in the net after just 15 seconds, beating Tiernan Markey with a low drive after Cillian Bourke broke the line. A Pearse Grimes-Murphy goal brought Louth right back into it in the sixth minute, as he blasted home from 20 metres, with Donnacha Keoghan unable to get his hands to it.

Louth were level, 1-2 each, after 11 minutes but Offaly responded very well with the next three points from Fionn Carney, Cillian Bourke and Kaelem Bryan.

They then lost their way with Louth scoring five of the next six points to lead for the first time, 1-7 to 1-6, after 26 minutes. Offaly got their second goal in the 27th minute for a 2-6 to 1-7 half time lead, with Kaelem Bryan finishing very well after a good move.

It continued in the same vein in the second half with both sides having great purple patches and looking likely winners at different stages.

You also couldn't take your eyes off things for a moment in the second half and it was a genuinely a cracking contest. Offaly got three of the first four points to lead by 2-9 to 1-8 after 36 minutes. Then Reid’s young guns produced their best football of the evening.

They got on top everywhere and drove forward relentlessly, which amounted to five points without reply from Adam Gillespie (3, 2 frees), Pearse Grimes-Murphy and Lorcan Buckley between the 38th and 45th minutes to grab a 1-13 to 2-9 lead.

There was great optimism coming from the stands from the Louth supporters about the prospects of their team, but just as the winning post loomed into view, they unfortunately lost their way.

Crucially, Grimes-Murphy and Dylan Shevlin missed chances to put Louth two up and had they got one of those, they might have been able to close it out. Instead, Offaly kept working, kept doing or trying to do the right thing and those attributes resulted in those dramatic late winning scores.

OFFALY: Donnacha Keoghan; Christian McKeon, Patrick Kenna, Harry Goulding; Rory Grehan, Enda McLoughlin, Brian Carroll; Cillian Bourke (0-3), Mark Mulrooney (0-1); Fionn Carney (0-1 free), Cian Bracken (1-2), Cillian Foran (0-3); Kaelem Bryan (1-1), Robert Carney, Cameron Egan. Subs: Callum Kelly for Mulrooney (50), Niall Flannery for McLoughlin (55), Ryan Murphy for Robert Carney (58).

LOUTH: Tiernan Markey; Cian Farrell, Ciaran McGinty, Keelin Martin (0-1); Michael Reid (0-1), Padraic Tinnelly, Cormac McKeown; Conor McGinty, Lorcan Buckley (0-2); Conor MacCriosta (0-1), Dylan Shevlin, Pearse Grimes-Murphy (1-2); Adam Gillespie (0-6, 0-4 frees), Josh Taaffe, Shane Lennon. Subs - Ryan Shevlin for Taaffe (55), Jack Healy for MacCriosta (57).

Referee - Keith O'Brien (Westmeath).