Louth Fall Short as Roscommon Edge Tight League Tie
By ArdeePost Reporter
Louth Fall Short as Roscommon Edge Tight League Tie
Louth’s senior hurlers came up just short in a bruising Allianz Hurling League Division Three encounter on Saturday afternoon, as Roscommon ground out a hard-earned 0-14 to 0-11 victory in Daver.
The result keeps Roscommon firmly in the hunt for promotion, while Louth were left to reflect on a spirited performance that ultimately lacked the late scores required to secure at least a share of the spoils.
Dogfight on a Heavy Surface
Played on a heavy pitch that made flowing hurling extremely difficult, this was always likely to turn into a battle of grit rather than grace.
Roscommon, managed by Brian Hanley, may have been the more polished side overall, but they were forced to dig deep against a physically imposing Louth outfit who never allowed them to pull clear.
With conditions hampering constructive play, the contest developed into a tight, hard-fought struggle with every score keenly contested.
Louth Lead at the Break
Roscommon played against the wind in the opening half and struggled to make sustained inroads into the Louth defence.
Eoin Kiernan was their main attacking outlet early on, contributing a point from play before being forced off with a hamstring injury after 28 minutes. Four Conor Morris frees kept the visitors ticking over.
At the other end, Louth battled hard and edged into a narrow 0-6 to 0-5 half-time lead, making good use of the breeze and keeping Roscommon under sustained pressure.
For Louth supporters, it was an encouraging first-half display built on work-rate and physicality.
Roscommon Turn the Screw
With the wind at their backs after the restart, Roscommon began to assert themselves.
Two further frees from Conor Morris, a hat-trick of points from Seán Canning and additional scores from Cian Murray and Conor Mulry helped the Primrose and Blue establish a four-point cushion at 0-12 to 0-8 with 18 minutes remaining.
At that stage, it looked as though the visitors might pull away.
Louth Rally Late On
To their credit, Louth refused to buckle.
They began to dominate physically in the closing stages, driving forward with renewed purpose. Wing-back John Casey chipped in with a valuable point, while Ciarán McKelvey slotted over two crucial frees to narrow the gap to a single point, 0-12 to 0-11, entering the final minute.
For a brief spell, it appeared Louth might snatch something from the contest.
However, Roscommon held their nerve. Paddy Fallon and Seán Canning struck late points from play to secure a three-point victory and maintain their 100 per cent start to the campaign.
Promotion Race Intensifies
The result leaves Roscommon with three wins from three and very much in the mix for promotion from Division Three.
For Louth, while the defeat will disappoint, the performance — particularly the late rally — demonstrated resilience and competitive edge that will be vital in the remaining fixtures.
Post-Match Tribute
After the final whistle, Roscommon manager Brian Hanley dedicated the victory to the family of the late Kieran Connell from Athleague. Connell’s son-in-law, Basil Jones, is part of the Roscommon backroom team.
Teams
Roscommon: E. Lawless; E. Mulry, J. Dillon, M. Hussey; K. Ryan, T. Morris, D. Finn; C. Morris (0-6, six frees), R. Finn; C. Murray (0-1), E. Kiernan (0-1), S. Canning (0-4); C. Mulry (0-1), A. Donnelly, L. Óg Coyle.
Subs used: P. Fallon (0-1) for Kiernan (28 mins), B. Lawlor for Óg Coyle (52 mins).
Louth: C. Clancy; S. Kettle, A. McGuinness, S. Hodgins; J. Casey (0-1), P. Fortune (0-1), M. O’Shea; D. Geoghegan (0-3, one free), S. Flynn; A. Le Touche Cosgrove (0-1), S. Conneely, K. Rafferty; C. Murphy (0-2), C. McKelvey (0-3, three frees), M. Gahan.
Subs used: J. Costello for Rafferty (42 mins), S. Magill for Gahan (58 mins).
Referee: S. Walsh (Waterford).
