Fermanagh 2-8 Louth 2-19

Fermanagh’s Lory Meagher Cup hopes ended in disappointment today at Croke Park as Louth produced a dominant second half to deservedly claimed the title with a comprehensive 2-19 to 2-08 victory.

Louth had led by three at the interval, 1-06 to 1-03, but Fermanagh started the second half well as a Barry McPhilips goal helped put them in front.

However, Louth regained control after this to move four clear and when Andrew Mackin slotted home his second goal of the contest it finished off any hopes Fermanagh had with the Wee County going on to run out 11 point victors in the end.

There was little between the sides in the early stages of the contest with the sides sharing the opening six points.

Darren Geoghegan landed the opening point of the game from a free only for Fermanagh to reply through a Tom Keenan point from play.

John Duffy and Sean Corrigan then rattled over frees for Fermanagh but on each occasion Louth answered with Feidhleim Joyce and David Kettle rattling over scores.

However, it was Fermanagh who take the advantage by the waterbreak as Duffy drilled a penalty to the top corner of the net after Dylan Bannon was fouled.

The second quarter of the contest though was to belong to the Wee County as they hit an unanswered 1-03 to go in at the interval with a three point lead.

Andrew Mackin hit back with a goal for Louth in the 20th minute to level things for a fourth time, the full forward skipping in from the right before kicking past Mark Curry in the Fermanagh goal.

Louth were enjoying the better of things in the middle third and they went on to push ahead as Geoghegan converted a free before Paul Matthews and Kettle fired over from play to leave it 1-06 to 1-03 at the break.

Fermanagh though came flying out of the blocks at the start of the second half as Ciaran Corrigan cut in from the right and fired across the goal for McPhillips to tuck to the net.

And when Conor McShea quickly tagged on a point Fermanagh found themselves a point to the good, 2-04 to 1-06.

However, Louth soon regained the upperhand as they hit the next five points to claim a four point advantage and they never looked back from this.

Geoghegan clinically punished any indiscretions in the Fermanagh defence as he rattled over three frees while Ryan Walsh and Niall Keenan registered scores from play.

Ciaran Corrigan and Conor Deane traded points while a John Duffy free kept Fermanagh in touch with three points diving the sides.

But a number of other Erne frees were wide off the mark as Louth went on to pull away as Matthews slotted over a point before Mackin claimed his second goal of the encounter to put seven between the sides.

The scores continued to flow for Louth as Geoghegan fired over two more frees and Makin and Padraig Fallon also added points to push them 11 clear.

Louth did finish the game with 14 men as Darren O’Hanrahan was red carded put it was to have to bearing on the outcome as Louth finished up comfortable winners.