Gerry Reilly Cup: Louth defeat neighbours Meath
July 04, 2014
Meath's James Conlon with Louth's Aaron Khan during the 2nd round of the Gerry Reilly Cup at Millbrook. TO VIEW A SELECTION OF PHOTOGRAPHS FOR THIS GAME CLICK HERE
Meath 3-9
An injury time goal by Conor Whelan sealed victory for Louth over Meath (playing with a split squad) in this Gerry Reilly FT 2nd round Group B match played in Millbrook on Thursday evening. Louth opened the scoring with a pointed free by Conor Whelan. But then Meath's James Conlon finished a fine move to the Louth net and followed up quickly by a Frank O'Reilly point. Louth's Emmett Hughes pointed to leave 2 points between the sides.
Despite playing against a strong wind, Meath were putting a lot of pressure on Louth and increased their lead with 2 pointed frees. However they were not to score in the second quarter, while Louth began to dominate. They added with 4 unanswered points (Conor Whelan, Dion Conlon, Cian Callan and Emmet Hughes) to leave the sides level at the break.
H/T: Meath 1-3 Louth 0-6.
On the restart Louth's Dion Conlon pointed within 30 seconds. Frank O'Reilly pointed to have the sides level again. Dion Conlon's goal for Louth seemed to have put them up a gear as they were now dominating midfield. They quickly added 3 successive points to increase their lead to 6 points.
Meath responded with a goal (Brian O'Reilly) and 2 points (James Conlon (2)) to leave the minimum between the sides. Points by Conor Whelan and Dion Conlon (f) stretched Louth's lead again.
In the 48th minute, Meath's Aaron Kennedy narrowed the gap between the sides and this was followed up by another Meath point by Brian O'Reilly. Louth responded with a Dion Conlon goal and a pointed free by Conor Whelan to lead by 5 points.
Meath did not give up the fight and were rewarded with a James Conlon goal in the 52nd minute to leave just 2 between the sides. However they were off target on 3 occasions where they might have put more pressure on Louth. Louth too were off target on 2 occasions before Aaron Kennedy just left one between the sides for a grandstand finish. Louth had a player red carded (2 yellows) and were they going to hold out with 14 men. It looked like it was going to end in a draw going into injury time when a Meath forwarded was fouled in a scoring position. But the ref. let play go on. On the break Conor Whelan's goal insured victory for Louth just before the final whistle.
Overall a good display by Louth for a deserved victory.
Louth's Danny O'Brien received the 'Man of the match' award
Louth: Aaron Roche St Kevins; Enda Mc Kenna St Kevins; 17 Ciaran Carter Dundalk Gaels; 27 David Cluskey Stabannon Parnells; Aaron Khan St Kevins; Danny O Brien St Josephs; Brendan Matthews St Marys; Dion Conlon Glyde Rangers (2-3); Emmet Hughes Roche Emmets (0-2); Sean Marry St Brides (0-1); Cian Callan St Kevins (0-2); Liam Lynch Dundalk Gaels; Cian Mc Donald Cuchulainn Gaels; Sean Murphy Sean O Mahonys; Conor Whelan Naomh Martin (1-4)
Subs: Rory Duffy for Roche; Cathal Grogan St Patricks for Carter; Joe Corrigan St Fechins (0-1)for McDonald; Killian Kampes Kilkerley Emmets for Lynch; Sam Mulroy Naomh Martin for Murphy
Meath: Dean Reddy Skyrne; Ryan Hand Curragha; Conor Harnan Moynalvey; Mark Phelan Curragha; Morgan Callaghan Ballivor; Brian Joyce Curragha; Kevin Gilsenan St. Brigid's; Conor Nash Simonstown Gaels; Conor O'Byrne St. Colmcille's (0-1); Frank O'Reilly Carnaross (0-2); Leo Reilly Donaghmore/Ashbourne
Brian O'Reilly Moynalvey (1-1); James Conlon St. Colmcille's (2-3); Cian O'Reilly Carnaross; Stephen Carton Donaghmore/Ashbourne
Subs: Shane Bennett Gael Colmcille's for OByrne; Enna Kelly Lynch for Nash; Aaron Kennedy Ballinabrackey (0-2) for Reilly; Rory Maguire O'Mahonys for Carton; Cathal Murphy Dunsany for Gilsenan; Aaron Geraghty Simmonstown Gaels for Callaghan Tweet
