Louth 2-11 Carlow 0-11
A brilliant finish from Louth saw them power into the All-Ireland Junior Championship final where they will face Fermanagh in Croke Park on the 4th of August.
As the game entered its final quarter Louth found themselves a point down but an outstanding final fifteen minutes from the Wee County saw them surge towards the finish line as they outscored Carlow by 1-5 to 0-1 to book their place in the final.
Louth began the game well and took an early lead courtesy of a point from captain Aine Breen but Carlow then took control of proceedings by scoring three unanswered points. Kate Flood has scored many important goals for Louth down through the years and she showed her predatory instincts once again as she reacted quickest to poke home a loose ball for the first goal of the game. That put Louth a point clear but they would go in at the break a point down after two late scores from Carlow.
A brilliant point from Niamh Rice drew the sides level once again before Rachel Sawyer put Carlow ahead once more as the game entered it’s final quarter. A goal at this stage of the game was always going to be massive and it went Louth’s way as captain Aine Breen finished off a superb attacking move from Louth to put the girls in red in the ascendency.
Suddenly, Carlow were looking tired as Louth won the majority of ball around the middle of the pitch scoring four points without reply to seal an impressive victory and book a day out in Croke Park for their loyal band of traveling supporters. Louth will now play Fermanagh who they beat in 2019 to win the same competition.
Scorers – Louth: K Flood 1-3 (0-3f), N Rice 0-5, A Breen 1-1, A Russell 0-2.
LOUTH: R Lambe Fagan; A Whyte, E Murray, E Hand; L Byrne, A Breen, C Nolan; A Halligan, E Byrne; M Rooney, A Russell, S Matthews; N Rice, K Flood, C McDonald. Subs: L White for Matthews (39), H Lambe Sally for McDonald (42), C O’Reilly for Whyte (44), R O’Connor Leonard for Rooney (59), C Boyle for Murray (60).
