Colin Kelly admitted his Louth team struggled to deal with the favourites' tag against Wicklow.

The Wee County were far from their best in edging past opponents who will ply their trade two divisions below them in next year's Allianz League. The 1-19 to 1-14 win provides Louth with an opportunity to avenge last year's defeat to neighbours Meath on June 4 and Kelly said in the Irish Daily Mirror: "When you go into a match as overwhelming favourites - and this happens in club football and county football - you often struggle and that was it for us today. But we have a fortnight to put that right.

"Meath will be a different animal. We'll probably go into that match with the same underdogs' tag as Wicklow had today so we'll be comfortable with that."

Eoin O'Connor, who bagged 1-2 and made a cruciate block to deny John McGrath a late goal at the other end, was singled out for praise by the Louth manager.

"We spoke about it in the presentation beforehand, about the skills we'd need in defence. We said, 'listen lads, a block won an All-Ireland for Tyrone (in 2003), so that's the importance of it. You have to be willing to go on a fella's boot today if that's what it takes'.

"Luckily enough that came through with Eoin's block. He's an outstanding talent. He gave it to us in spades again today. He was immense."

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