Brennan Slams Munster Advantage as Louth Edge Past Laois in Leinster Quarter-Final
Ardee News and Sport – Brennan Slams Munster Advantage as Louth Edge Past Laois in Leinster Quarter-Final
Laois 0-17 Louth 2-16
Louth manager Ger Brennan has criticised the current championship structure, claiming it unfairly favours Munster teams over their Leinster counterparts when it comes to qualifying for the All-Ireland Sam Maguire series.
Despite a hard-fought win over Laois in O’Moore Park, Brennan’s Louth side still face a precarious path. The Dubs native knows that unless Louth beat Kildare in their upcoming Leinster semi-final and reach a third consecutive provincial final, they will drop into the second-tier Tailteann Cup—despite finishing sixth in Division Two.
By contrast, Clare (third in Division Three) and Tipperary (mid-table in Division Four) could find themselves in the Sam Maguire mix by simply reaching a Munster final.
“We all want to play in the All-Ireland series,” said Brennan. “Although it is a bit of a lopsided structure when you look at what’s going to come out of Munster. It’s something they will need to look at going forward.”
Louth’s win over Laois was anything but straightforward. Goals from Ryan Burns (penalty) and Ciaran Byrne proved crucial in seeing off a spirited Laois side that had shown flashes of promise under Justin McNulty, despite losing 13 players in the off-season.
Laois started with intensity, led by the ever-dangerous Mark Barry who finished with 0-8. Damon Larkin was dominant in the air, and goalkeeper Killian Roche kept Laois in the game with key saves in both halves.
But as is so often the case in championship football, goals made the difference. Burns found the net from the spot shortly after the break, before turning provider for Byrne to seal the result in the closing stages.
“We made hard work of it and you have to credit Laois,” said Brennan. “Very methodical and very structured. I suppose the two goals made the difference and thankfully we got over the line.”
Brennan sprang key figures from the bench at pivotal moments. Midfielder Tommy Durnin, named as captain but not initially in the starting XV, made a big impact after his introduction. Brennan offered a vague explanation for the surprise omission, hinting at the difficulty of balancing inter-county football with personal commitments.
“To be fair to Tommy, he’s a great servant for Louth GAA. It was one of those things where inter-county football and the demands of real life… The schedule just kind of gets in the way.”
Craig Lennon, Louth’s second-ever All-Star, also featured from the bench following injury, while veteran forward Sam Mulroy was seen going through a light pre-match routine as he continues his recovery from a hamstring injury.
The win sets up a crunch semi-final clash with Kildare. Victory there would guarantee Louth’s place in the Sam Maguire competition. Defeat, however, would mean a drop to the Tailteann Cup—a fate Brennan feels is disproportionately likely for Leinster sides due to the tougher provincial route.
Scorers for Laois: M Barry (0-8, 0-3 frees); R Coffey (0-3, 0-1 free); D Larkin (0-2); D O’Reilly, N Corbet, B Byrne, K Swayne (all 0-1).
Scorers for Louth: R Burns (1-4, 1-0 pen, 0-1 free, 0-1 ‘45’); C Byrne (1-3); C Downey (0-3); A McDonnell, K McArdle, P Lynch, T Durnin, C Lennon, D McKeown (all 0-1).
Next Up:
Louth v Kildare – Leinster SFC Semi-Final
Winner secures a Leinster final spot and All-Ireland Sam Maguire qualification.
Round 2 Division 1, 2 & 3 Action Packed with Drama, Goals, and Standout Performances
St Joseph’s Set Early Pace in John O’Neill Sand & Gravel Louth GAA Leagues
Division 1
The second round of the John O’Neill Sand and Gravel Louth GAA Leagues saw plenty of action, drama, and thrilling scorelines across all three divisions. In Division 1, St Joseph’s have stormed to the top of the table on score difference after a strong 0-27 to 0-19 win away to Sean O’Mahonys. Alan Quigley led the way with 0-5 (three from frees) in a performance where no fewer than 12 Joes players found their name on the scoresheet.
Joining them at the top of the table are Hunterstown Rovers, who made it two from two with an impressive victory over Newtown Blues in Drogheda. Ryan Ward continued his goal-scoring form with 1-4 while Dean Burns added 1-3. Hunterstown’s clinical finishing saw them edge out a spirited Blues side that had Eoin McCoy, Jamie Kelly, and Ross Nally scoring three points each.
Naomh Mairtin and St Patricks played out a thrilling draw in Monasterboice, with Jocks duo Jack Lynch and Tom Gray both notching 0-7 apiece in a high-scoring shootout. St Pats responded in kind with Jack Murphy bagging 1-3 and multiple players chipping in across the board.
Dreadnots continued their winning start with a strong five-point win away to Geraldines, thanks to a 1-2 haul from Conor Clarke and a five-point contribution from Craig Shevlin. Despite a 10-point masterclass from Jim McEneaney, the Haggardstown side couldn’t close the gap.
Meanwhile, reigning champions Ardee St Marys earned their first point of the campaign in a hard-fought draw against Cooley Kickhams. The home side were boosted by Enda O’Neill’s 0-4, including a two-pointer, in a balanced display.
St Mochtas are also on full points following a 2-16 to 2-12 win over St Fechins. Gerry Garland was in electric form with 2-4, ably supported by Decky Byrne’s five points. Ryan Walsh’s 2-6 for St Fechins wasn’t enough to halt the Mochtas’ march.
Division 2
Four teams remain unbeaten after two rounds in Division 2 — Dundalk Gaels, Dundalk Young Irelands, St Kevins, and Stabannon Parnells.
Dundalk Gaels edged out Oliver Plunketts by two points, with Tom O’Connell and Shaun Duffy impressing. Dundalk Young Irelands came out on top in a shootout with Kilkerley Emmets, where James Prendergast hit five points and Jack Watters found the net.
Stabannon Parnells secured a dramatic two-point win over Clan na Gael, with Harry Butterly producing the performance of the round, hitting 1-13 in a standout individual display. Robbie Curran’s 0-10 for the Clans kept things tight, but it wasn’t enough to overturn the deficit.
St Brides bounced back with a nine-point win over O’Raghallaighs, with six different scorers led by Donal McArdle and Kevin Hearty, both hitting four points each.
Mattock Rangers edged out Glen Emmets in a narrow derby win, while St Kevins snatched victory by the slimmest of margins over Roche Emmets. Lee Crosbie’s 0-6 was vital for the Kevins, who held off a strong challenge led by Barry O’Hare’s 1-4 for Roche.
Division 3
There’s a crowded leaderboard in Division 3, with five teams — Wolfe Tones, Naomh Fionnbarra, St Nicholas, John Mitchels, and Glyde Rangers — all maintaining perfect starts.
Wolfe Tones were dominant on the road against Dowdallshill, with 12 different players finding the target. Goals from Patrick Fanning and Taidgh Rock helped seal an emphatic win.
Naomh Fionnbarra recorded a commanding win over near neighbours O’Connells, while St Nicholas and John Mitchels both claimed impressive away wins — St Nicks just edging Cuchulainn Gaels in Omeath and Mitchels holding off Sean McDermotts in Mountrush.
Na Piarsaigh Blackrock had a fine 2-11 to 1-5 win over Westerns, thanks to the Murphy brothers — Ciaran (1-3) and Robbie (0-5) — running the show.
Naomh Malachi edged Annaghminnon Rovers by a single point in one of the tightest contests of the weekend. Pierce Caherty (1-3) and Stephen Kelly (0-5) did just enough to see the Mals home in a tense finish.
Up Next
With another round of fixtures on the horizon, expect more twists, standout performances, and shifting league tables as the John O’Neill Sand and Gravel-backed leagues continue to deliver high-octane Louth football week after week.
