Keenan's late point opens Roscommon's account

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LOUTH MISSED a glorious opportunity to join Antrim at the top of the table as Roscommon finally opened their Division Three account in Drogheda. Without a win from four starts, the visitors came into the game on the brink of relegation to the bottom tier, but with their hosts showing little of the form that netted them back-to-back wins over Cavan and Fermanagh, Fergal O’Donnell’s side grabbed a deserved victory.

The sides turned around all-square at 0-6 apiece at the break, but the momentum Roscommon built up earlier served them well on the resumption as Terry Kelly, Mark O’Carroll and Donal Shine (two frees) saw them establish a commanding 0-10 to 0-6 lead.

It took Louth 10 minutes to open their second-half account through Shane Lennon, who then set Mark Brennan clear moments later to net and level matters again in the 50th minute.

However, Roscommon were still dominant in most sectors and Enda Kenny regained the lead with a fine effort. Shine, Kevin Higgins, Kelly, Paul Garvey and Kenny all had chances as they kicked five wides in as many minutes.

It looked as though they might regret those misses as Louth twice drew level in the closing stages and might have snatched a win when Adrian Reid sliced a goal chance wide. But David Keenan proved the hero, slotting over the winner in the last minute.

ROSCOMMON: G Claffey; S McDermott, M Killelea, S Ormsby; S Purcell, C Cregg (0-1), P Domican; M O’Carroll (0-1), E Kenny (0-2); P Garvey (0-2, one free), D Shine (0-5, three frees), B Higgins; J Rogers. K Higgins, G Henaghan. Subs: T Kelly (0-1) for B Higgins (32), D Hussey for Henaghan (h-t), J Nolan for Killelea (49), D Keenan (0-1) for Rogers (32).

LOUTH: N Gallagher; D Byrne, D Finnegan, J O’Brien; S Fitzpatrick, M Fanning, R Greene; D Crilly (0-1), B White (0-1 free); D Maguire, M Brennan (1-0), A McDonnell (0-2); A Hoey (0-2, both frees), JP Rooney, S Lennon (0-3). Subs: L Shevlin for Byrne (34), C Judge for Rooney (42), S O’Neill for Maguire (47), A Reid for Hoey (61).

Referee: S Carroll (Westmeath).