Louth Fall Agonisingly Short in One-Point Thriller Against Down
By ArdeePost Reporter
Louth All-Ireland Senior Football Championship journey suffered another devastating blow on Saturday as they lost a pulsating Group 3 Round 2 clash by the narrowest of margins, Down 0-25 to Louth 0-24, at Páirc Esler.
In what has become a worrying trend, Louth once again failed to overturn a sizeable first-half deficit, despite a spirited second-half comeback that brought them within inches of a famous draw.
This latest defeat leaves Louth still searching for their first win in the group and, more crucially, answers about how to stop conceding early leads that force them to chase games.
A Tale of Two Halves — And Two Referees
The game, described by Louth manager Ger Brennan as “a game of two halves,” saw Down race into a commanding 0-16 to 0-7 lead by half-time, aided by the wind — but more significantly, by Louth’s porous defending. The opening half was riddled with gaps in the Louth rearguard, and Down took full advantage. A standout score from Danny Magill, who glided past two defenders to tap over, epitomised the Mourne men’s ease in attack.
Odhran Murdock opened the scoring just 20 seconds in with a two-pointer, and Pat Havern, Ryan Magill, and John McGeough kept the scoreboard ticking over. Louth’s only respite came in the form of a few isolated points, including a free from Sam Mulroy, but they rarely threatened Down’s 30-metre line in the first half.
Goalkeeper Niall McDonnell was forced into two spectacular saves in that half to deny Down further daylight. The only first-half cheer for Louth came from a mini-burst of three consecutive scores by Mulroy, Ryan Burns, and Conor Grimes, reducing the deficit briefly before Down pulled away again.
Adding to the drama, referee David Gough was replaced midway through the first half after suffering a hamstring injury. His replacement, Noel Mooney, brought a stricter whistle that led to frustration on both sides and further disrupted Louth’s rhythm.
Louth Second-Half Surge Not Enough
The second half saw a different team, more aggressive and determined, led by captain Mulroy, who would finish with an astounding 0-12, including several two-pointers. Craig Lennon, Tommy Durnin, and Ciaran Downey all contributed to a late surge that brought Louth within touching distance.
At one point, Down led 0-22 to 0-13, and it looked like game over. But The Wee County responded brilliantly, stringing together five points in a seven-minute burst to cut the lead to just four.
The final 10 minutes were frantic. Durnin’s two-pointer made it a three-point game before Mulroy and Downey combined to bring it back to a one-point margin, 0-24 to 0-23. After another Down point, Downey responded again to leave Louth trailing by just one — and then came the game’s defining moment.
Heartbreak at the Death
With the final play of the match unfolding, Louth goalkeeper McDonnell launched a huge kickout that found its way to Mulroy, who slipped the ball to Tommy Durnin. The Louth midfielder was 25 metres out, unmarked, with a chance to level the match and potentially rescue Louth’s campaign.
Just as Durnin pulled the trigger, Adam Crimmins appeared from nowhere, producing a heroic block to deny what seemed a certain equalising score. The ball ricocheted loose, and Murdock launched it into the Armagh night sky — and with that, the final whistle blew.
Post-Match Reaction
Speaking after the game, Ger Brennan admitted that while the wind played a factor, Louth’s first-half performance cost them:
“You can’t afford to let a team build a lead like that. The second-half fightback was superb, but it should never have come to that.”
Down manager Conor Laverty praised his side’s composure:
“It was a massive block at the end by Adam. We made hard work of it, but credit to Louth — they really brought the heat in that second half.”
What’s Next for Louth?
This result leaves The Wee County needing a result in their final Group 3 game to have any chance of progressing. Despite the improvement after the break, the team’s inability to manage games from the start remains a critical issue.
However, with leaders like Mulroy, Durnin, and Downey showing their quality, hope is not lost — but urgency is now the defining emotion as the clock ticks down on their All-Ireland ambitions.
Final Score:
Down 0-25, Louth 0-24
Scorers for Louth:
S Mulroy 0-12 (2 2p, 3f), C Lennon 0-3 (1 2p), R Burns 0-3, T Durnin 0-2 (1 2p), C Downey 0-2, C Grimes 0-1, C McKeever 0-1
Scorers for Down:
D Magill 0-6, P Havern 0-6, O Murdock 0-5, A Crimmins 0-2, J McGeough, C Doherty, R Magill, M Rooney, C Mooney, S Millar 0-1 each
Stay tuned for full coverage and reaction in our next Louth GAA feature.
For more local news and updates, click here
