Gaelic Games

Dessie Reynolds hat-trick helps Longford to O’Byrne Cup final win over Louth

His third goal was worthy of any final at any time of the season

Longford's Dessie Reynolds scores one of three goals in his team's O'Byrne Cup final win. Photograph: Lorraine O’Sullivan/Inpho

Sat Jan 21 2023 - 17:00

Longford 3-13 Louth 0-12

The tumultuous O’Byrne Cup ended in a punishing Dessie Reynolds hat-trick that secured Longford’s win over Louth. The midlanders’ second preseason title in three years.

Louth, were writers of their own downfall, but Reynolds was well fit to hand out the punishment.

His first and second goals came in similar fashion. With Louth loose in possession and underfoot, Mickey Harte’s men were uncharacteristically slack and coughed up the ball in vulnerable positions allowing Reynolds to score.

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His third was the clinker, willed on by the partisan crowd, the Sean Connolly’s man duly delivered. Saving his best ‘till last. Catching a dropping high ball which was an obvious ploy on the day by Paddy Christie, Reynolds caught, danced and finished the game off before he was roared off minutes later.

It could have been oh so different for Louth, in control for the opening quarter of an hour and comfortable. Ryan Burns and Sam Mulroy found the target and albeit with 10 players starting their first game of the new season they looked set for victory even at that early stage.

Reynolds then injected sheer confidence to his troops but Mulroy was defiant. The talisman kicked five first half scores slipping while kicking a 45′, the highlight but Darren Gallagher was just as effective at the other end.

That significant opening major would be the difference at the half-time, the scoreboard read 1-7 to 0-7 in the hosts’ favour.

Louth began the second half brightly, players playing for places perhaps, topped up with some stern half time words too. Cornermen Jay Hughes and Tom Gray quickly found the target.

[ O’Byrne Cup blow as pair of fixtures are called off ]

Longford then upped the ante, penning Louth in, Reynolds then finished off his second at the end of a 1-3 scoring run that saw the midlanders more or less home and hosed. Louth could not find their targets from their own kick outs.

With 10 minutes left to play, Reynolds completely finished the contest and his feat, with a wonderful goal worthy of any final at any time of the season. In sharp contrast, Mulroy would miss a last minute penalty. That summed up the day for both sides.

LONGFORD: P Collum; B O’Farrell, Andrew Farrell, R Moffett; P Lynn, G Rogers, I O’Sullivan; F Sheridan (0-1), D Gallagher (0-3, two 45s); D Farrell, J Hagan, M Quinn (0-1); D Reynolds (3-3), D Mimnagh (0-1), D McGivney (0-4, two frees). Subs: Aaron Farrell for D Farrell (56 mins), R Smyth for Quinn (61 mins), J McGivney for Mimnagh (64 mins), J Macken for Reynolds (66 mins), P Foy for O’Sullivan, B Masterson for Lynn and R Harkin for Rogers (all 68 mins), C Keenan for Hagan, J Matthews for D McGivney and T McNevin for Gallagher (all 72 mins).

LOUTH: M McEneaney; A Connor, B Duffy, P McKenny; O McGuinness (0-1), L Jackson, C Lennon; T Durnin, C McCaul (0-1); S Matthews, C Keenan, R Burns (0-1); J Hughes (0-2), S Mulroy (0-6, three frees, one 45), T Gray (0-1). Subs: N Sharkey for Lennon (40 mins), G Browne for McKenny (54 mins), J Murphy for Matthews (64 mins), C Clarke for Connor (65 mins), E Maher for McCaul (68 mins).

Referee: K O’Brien (Westmeath).

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