MONAGHAN 2-12, LOUTH 2-08.
Its four from four for Monaghan in Division 3A of the Allianz hurling league as they registered a 3 points victory over a tenacious Louth in Inniskeen yesterday the 5th of March.
After an even enough opening quarter a Luke Mc Kenna helped Monaghan to a six points lead but Louth fought back to parity by the break with a succession of points from Gerard Smyth, Liam Dwan and Seaghan Connelly before Diarmuid Murphy fire to the Monaghan in stoppage time to leave them, level at the break 1-6 apiece.
On the resumption a Tadhg Campbell goal gave the initiative back to Monaghan with Louth then reduced the 14 players when Stephen Kettle went on a second yellow card. Monaghan piled on the pressure and opened an 8 points lead but it was backs to the wall stuff in the closing stages with a Davy Mahony goal kick starting a Louth revival. Points by Liam Dwan and Seaghan Connolly reduced the deficit to three but Louth just couldn’t get through for the goal they needed to salvage a point.
Scorers: Monaghan: L McKenna 1-2, F Rafter 0-4, T Campbell 1-0, D Meegan 0-3 (3f), C Meegan 0-2, H Byrne 0-1 (f). Louth: D Murpjhy 1-3, L Dwan 0-3 (2f), D Mahony 1-0, S Connolly 0-2, G Smith 0-1.
Monaghan: H Byrne 7, P Gartland 6, P Finnegan 7, B Flanagan 7, C Meegan 7, P Treanor 7, M Murphy 7, B Connor 6, C Boyle 7, F Rafter 8, R Curran 6, L Mc Kenna 8, T Campbell 7, S Leonard 7, D Meegan 8. Subs: P Bermingham 6 for B Connor, S Forde 7 for Luke Mc Kenna, N Adair 6 for R Curran, P.J Boyle 6 for S Leonard.
Louth: S Hackett 6, S Kettle 6, M Lyons 7, C Kerrigan 6, A McCrave 6, R Maher 6, R McKeown 6, D Ryan 7, P McCormack 7, Gerard Smyth 7, Seaghan Connelly 8, P Lynch 7, M Ryan 6, Liam Dwan 7, Diarmuid Murphy 8. Subs: C Matthews 6 for C Kerrigan, G Kerrigan 6 for G Smyth, D Mahony 7 for M Ryan, D Stephenson 6 for D Murphy.
By Majella Boyd Mon 6th Mar
