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Details

Date Time Competition Season
2 April 2022 4:45 pm NFL Division 3 2022

Match Report

Strong Second Half helps Louth to victory

Louth put in an excellent second half to claim the Division 3 title with a five point win over Limerick at Croke Park.

Liam Jackson scored the game’s only goal in the 53rd minute to give Louth a narrow lead and they kicked on from there. Conall McKeever (Louth) and Paul Maher (Limerick) were black carded near the end. 

In a tight first half it was Limerick who opened the scoring with a pointed free from Josh Ryan. Louth opened up a two point lead in the 14th minute but Limerick hit back; with points from Hugh Bourke (two), Adrian Enright and a fine score from Mike O’Donovan to give them a two point lead in the 28th minute. 

A free from Sam Mulroy cut the gap to one before Enright kicked over his second of the game to restore his side’s two point advantage with 35 minutes gone on the clock. In first half stoppage time Mulroy hit over another free as the Wee County trailed by one - 0-7 to 0-6.

Ryan and John Clutterbuck traded points at the start of the second half and a fisted point from Ryan edged Limerick ahead by two in the 41st minute. The impressive Ciaran Byrne and Nash hit over points. Louth broke down the field in the 47th minute and Byrne saw his powerful effort blocked down. A Mulroy point from play cut the deficit to just one again in the 52nd minute.  

A fine move one minute later ended with Liam Jackson firing to the net. Louth were ahead again and it was a lead they didn’t relinquish. Man of the Match Tommy Durnin scored a beautiful point to put three between the sides minutes later.

Byrne got up again to fire over his third point of the game in the 56th minute. A free from Mulroy extended Louth’s lead to five nearing the hour mark. Robbie Bourke scored Limerick’s first point in 15 minutes when he pointed a free in the 65th minute. Mulroy (free), Byrne and an excellent point from Niall Sharkey sealed the win for Mickey Harte’s side.

Louth

1James Califf Goalkeeper
2Dan Corcoran Defender
3Bevan Duffy Midfielder
4Donal McKenny Defender
5Leonard Grey 19 Defender
6Niall Sharkey Defender 68'
7Liam Jackson Defender 53'
8Tommy Durnin Forward 54'
9John Clutterbuck 20 Defender 41'
10Conall McKeever Forward
11Sam Mulroy Forward 5', 13', 35', 35+3', 51', 60'
12Ciaran Downey Forward 70+3'
13Craig Lennon 24
18Ciaran Byrne Forward 7', 45', 56', 65'
15Daire Nally 21 Forward 16'
16Martin McEneaney Goalkeeper
17Gerard Browne
14Daire McConnon Forward
19Eoghan Callaghan 5 Defender
20Conor Early 9 Midfielder
21Conor Grimes 15 Forward
22Sean Healy Defender
23Jay Hughes Forward
24Tom Jackson 13
25Gerard Malone
26Oisin McGuinness Forward

Limerick

1Donal O Sullivan Goalkeeper
2Sean O Dea Defender
3Brian Fanning Defender
4Mike O Donovan Defender 29'
5Cian Sheehan Forward
6Iain Corbett Defender
7Paul Maher Forward 70+4'
8Darragh Treacy 19
9Cillian Fahy 21 Midfielder
10Adrian Enright Forward 12', 35'
11Killian Ryan 24 Forward
12James Naughton Forward
13Peter Nash Forward 27', 49'
14Josh Ryan 18 Midfielder 3', 40', 41'
15Hugh Bourke Forward 16', 19', 69'
16Aaron O Sullivan Goalkeeper
17Luke Murphy
18Jim Liston 14 Defender
19Tony McCarthy 8 Defender
20Colm McSweeney Midfielder
21Robert Childs 9 Defender
22Tommy Griffin Midfielder
23Diarmaid Kelly
24Padraig De Bruin 11
25Robbie Bourke 63'
26Dara Noonan Forward
  • 70'

    Paul Maher gets a black right at the end

  • 70'

    Ciaran Downey with a black card. It'll matter little to Louth

  • Ciaran Downey with a black card. It'll matter little to Louth

  • 69'

    Hugh Bourke for Limerick with a free

  • 68'

    Niall Sharkey with a point for Louth

  • 66'

    Darragh Tracey off

  • 66'

    Tony McCarthy in for Limerick

  • 66'

    Tony McCarthy in for Limerick

  • 6'

    John Clutterbuck goes off to a great reception

  • 6'

    Conor Early on for Louth

  • 65'

    Another point from the impressive Ciaran Byrne

  • 63'

    Robbie Bourke with a pointed free for Limerick. Much needed point

  • 60'

    Another point from the genius that is Sam Mulroy

  • 59'

    Josh Ryan is off

  • 59'

    Jim Liston on for Limerick

  • 59'

    Daire Nally off

  • 59'

    Conor Grimes on

  • 58'

    Padraig De Bruin gets booked

  • 56'

    Mulroy to Durnin and he finds Ciaran Byrne who fires over. Lovely point

  • 54'

    Tommy Durnin puts three between the sides

  • 53'

    Liam Jackson gets up and finds the back of the net. Louth back in front

  • 52'

    Sam Mulroy with his first point from play. Fine score

  • 51'

    Killian Ryan is off

  • 51'

    TJ Reid's brother in law Padraig De Bruin is on

  • 49'

    Peter Nash off - after he scoring a point

  • 49'

    Robbie Bourke is on

  • 49'

    A fine point for Nash

  • 47'

    Louth break and the ball is played to Ciaran Byrne he hits a powerful shot but it's well blocked down

  • 46'

    Louth are wasteful

  • 45'

    Some lovely movement within the Louth forward line and Ciaran Byrne fires over

  • 41'

    Josh Ryan fists the ball over the bar. His third point of the game

  • 41'

    A fine point from John Clutterbuck

  • 40'

    Josh Ryan puts two between the sides again.

  • 35'

    Mulroy with his fourth point of the game just before the break

  • Louth run at Limerick and win a free which Mulroy will hit

  • 35'

    Neat point from Adrian Enright to restore his side's two point lead. His second point of the game

  • 35'

    Sam Mulroy with a pointed free to cut the gap to one.

  • 32'

    Good defending there from Louth as Limerick pass the ball well and get into a scoring area.

  • 31'

    A wide for Louth. Tom Jackson's effort is way off

  • 27'

    Peter Nash puts Limerick into the lead

  • 26'

    Craig Lennon who is injured goes off

  • 26'

    Tom Jackson on for the Wee County

  • 17'

    The injured Cillian Fahy goes off

  • 17'

    Robert Childs comes on

  • 24'

    A number of poor wides being kicked here.

  • 19'

    Bourke with his second point

  • 16'

    Hugh Bourke with a point

  • 16'

    Daire Nally with a neat point

  • 13'

    Sam Mulroy with his second point and a second '45

  • 12'

    Mulroy involved again and Tommy Durnin's effort is out for a '45

  • 12'

    Adrian Enright levels the scores

  • 11'

    Sam Mulroy in for a goal but good defending from Limerick.

  • 7'

    A great point from Ciaran Byrne

  • 5'

    Sam Mulroy opens his account with a well-struck '45

  • 3'

    A pointed free from Josh Ryan

  • Louth have one change to the team in the programme. Ciaran Byrne comes in for Daire McConnon in the full-forward line.

  • Louth have one change to the team in the programme. Ciaran Byrne comes in for Daire McConnon in the full-forward line.

  • Louth's fortunes turned in the meeting between these two sides in the league group stages. They came from five down to beat Limerick by 2 points and five wins in a row saw them promoted to Division 2. Back to back promotions for the Wee County

  • Croke Park is picture perfect for the game. The sun is out but it's deceiving. Croker in the shade is cold..

  • You're welcome to Final Whistle's coverage of the Division 3 final between Limerick and Louth. I'm Deniese O'Flaherty

Past Meetings

(Round 3)
1-12 1-14
NFL Division 3
UL Astro Pitch

Ground

Croke Park
Croke Park, Jones's Road, Dublin, D01 WY49, Ireland

Deniese is a freelance sports journalist/broadcaster. She has worked for several local and national media outlets. GAA and soccer are her great loves and she also follows rugby league and snooker. She's a big supporter of her local clubs St. Mary's GAA Granard and Longford Town. She also follows Celtic, Liverpool and Leeds Rhinos. She presented and produced a popular sports podcast last year where she interviewed Ray Houghton, Chris Kamara and John Hartson. Deniese is currently Head of Communications for Boccia Ireland