Louth ensured back-to-back league promotions this afternoon by upsetting Tipperary with a 0-16 to 0-12 victory in Thurles.

Colin Kelly's side will be plying their trade in Division 2 next year after out-scoring Tipp by 0-10 to 0-4 in the second-half, securing themselves a deserved win against the hosts, who must now go to battle with Armagh next weekend for promotion.

Conor Sweeney missed a first-half penalty but the Premier men still went in 0-8 to 0-6 in front at the break, as Sweeney, Michael Quinlivan and Philip Austin were amongst their scorers.

Louth saw a goal chance of their own from James Stewart tipped over early in the restart and they'd kick on from there with four unanswered scores, before Eoin O'Connor (free), Gerard McSorley and Conal McKeever struck the decisive points to bury the home side.

In the day's other game in Division 3, Offaly sprung a 2-14 to 2-10 shock against Sligo at Markievicz Park in a result which will have a significant impact on the relegation battle heading into the final round of games.

Niall Murphy's early goal looked like having the Yeats men on course for victory but Nigel Dunne registered a goal of his own for the Midlanders and when David Hanlon struck the game's last major there was no way back for the hosts.

The result leaves Longford, Antrim, Laois and Offaly all joint at the lower end of the table on four points, while Sligo are on five going into next weekend.

Louth - C Lynch; P Rath, P Reilly, J Bingham (0-1); Derek Maguire (0-2), K Murphy, J Stewart (0-1); Dean Maguire (0-2), T Durnin (0-1); D Byrne (0-1), P Smith (0-1f), B Duffy; C Martin, E O'Connor (0-5, 1f), S Mulroy. Subs: K Carr for P Reilly (BC), G McSorley (0-1) for S Mulroy, R Burns for D Byrne (BC), R Moore for T Durnin, C McKeever (0-1) for C Martin, D Crilly for E O'Connor.

Tipperary - E Comerford; A Campbell, P Codd, W Connors; B Maher, R Kiely, J Feehan; L Casey, J Kennedy (0-1); J Keane (0-1f), K O'Halloran (0-1f), B Fox; C Sweeney (0-4, 3f), M Quinlivan (0-2, 1f), L McGrath (0-2). Subs: P Austin (0-1) for J Keane, K Fahey for B Maher, L Boland for K O'Halloran, S O'Connell for M Quinlivan (BC).

Referee - P O'Sullivan.

**

Offaly - A Mulhall; B Darby (0-1), J Lalor, S Pender; N Darby, P Cunningham, D Hanlon (1-0); E Carroll (0-2, 1f), J O'Connor; S Nally, G Guilfoyle (0-2), C Donoghue (0-1); S Doyle, N Dunne (1-3, 0-3f), B Allen (0-5, 1f). Subs: D Brady for S Pender, K Garry for A Mulhall (BC), J Maloney for S Doyle.

Sligo - A Devaney (0-2f); R Donovan, K McDonnell, N Gaughan; C Harrison, N Ewing (0-1), K Cawley; S Gilmartin, A McIntyre; E McHugh, N Murphy (1-2, 0-1f), J Kelly; S Coen (0-2), P Hughes, A Marren (1-0pen). Subs: M Breheny (0-3f) for K McDonnell, C Breheny for S Gilmartin, B Egan for K Cawley (BC), C Davey for B Egan (BC), C Henry for J Kelly (BC).

Referee - J Molloy.

Tweet

Most Read Stories