Ardee News & Sport – Louth Fall Just Short as Offaly Snatch Dramatic Leinster Minor Football Title
By ArdeePost Reporter
Louth dream’s of a historic Leinster football clean sweep was heartbreakingly dashed on Monday night, as Offaly staged a dramatic late comeback to snatch the Electric Ireland Leinster Minor Football Championship title with an enthralling 2-20 to 3-14 victory at Cedral St Conleth’s Park.
Having already secured both senior and U20 provincial titles, Louth were just minutes away from completing an unprecedented treble, leading by four points with three minutes of normal time remaining. But in a thrilling and unpredictable finish, it was Offaly’s goalkeeper Jack Ryan who emerged the unlikely hero, kicking two long-range stoppage-time two-pointers to seal a stunning turnaround.
A Final for the Ages
Trailing by 3-13 to 2-12 in the 52nd minute, Offaly looked dead and buried. But a fierce late rally, marked by a 0-8 to 0-1 scoring run, turned the game on its head. Ryan’s first two-point free in the 62nd minute edged Offaly ahead, and when he nailed another from distance in the 65th minute, he capped off an individual performance that will live long in the memory of Offaly GAA fans.
Ryan finished with 0-8 in total, including four two-pointers, and was instrumental in ending Offaly’s 36-year wait for a Leinster minor title—their last coming in 1989.
Louth Early Brilliance Fades Late
It was a cruel ending for a talented Louth side managed by Johnny Clerkin, who had looked well on course for glory through much of the contest. With star forward Connell Kelly continuing his electric form—adding 0-9 to bring his campaign total to 2-49—and second-half goals from Oisin Reidy, Jack Martin, and Cillian McQuillan, the signs pointed to another famous victory for the Wee County.
When McQuillan converted a 52nd-minute penalty to push Louth into a four-point lead, their fans began to believe history was in the making. But despite dominating large portions of the game, Louth could only manage one more point in the final eight minutes as Offaly took full control.
Adding to Louth’s woes was the 64th-minute red card shown to Conal Mannion, whose foul on Ruairi Woods gave Ryan the chance to land his final and decisive blow.
What’s Next?
Despite the defeat, Louth’s season is far from over. Both Louth and Offaly advance to the All-Ireland quarter-finals, where they will look to bounce back and continue their pursuit of national honours.
Scorers –
Offaly: T. Furey 1-6 (5 frees), J. Ryan 0-8 (4 two-pointers), D. Dunne 1-1, C. McNamee, E. Maher (tp) 0-2 each, D. Stewart 0-1.
Louth: C. Kelly 0-9 (3 two-pointers, 2 frees), C. McQuillan 1-2 (pen), E. Reidy 1-1, J. Martin 1-0, M. McGlew 0-2.
Team Reaction
Speaking after the match, Offaly manager hailed the mental strength of his players:
“We were written off before the throw-in, but these lads believed right to the end. They’ve shown the spirit that Offaly football is built on.”
For Louth, the disappointment is palpable—but the performance, grit, and talent shown across this minor campaign confirms that the future of Louth football remains incredibly bright.
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