Depleted Louth lifted by show of character

All-Ireland SFC Qualifier Round Two/Louth 1-16 Kildare 1-10:Louth came to Newbridge minus seven of their championship panel and eked out an even more convincing win than their victory over Limerick last week.

Kildare held the lead twice inside the opening 16 minutes before giving way to a gritty Louth side in a none-too-pretty game of football which the bookmakers expected the home side to win with some ease.

Louth manager Eamonn McEneaney said: "We always felt we weren't that far away as a team and some of the prices quoted were crazy for this game. People have different perceptions of us as a team but we knew from the league game here (when Louth lost by a point) that we weren't that far away.

"We had to produce a performance to change that view and we did that to the extent that that was our best performance of the year - even though we still have some things we can brush up on, such as a few chances we had which we should have buried."

The former Monaghan star added: "Our defence played well today and we won the battle at midfield. I was happy with the fact that we pulled clear every time Kildare came back at us."

Referring to the seven panel absentees he said: "We are missing players, including two who have gone to America, but those who are there did their very best for the team. Everybody was trying so hard it was hard to put players on, but we did in the end because there were tired legs out there. You earn respect because of the way you play and we did that today. It gives everybody a huge lift."

Kildare supporters will not harbour similar sentiments. Back in 1991 in Mick O'Dywer's first championship season with the Lilywhites they travelled to Drogheda as raging favourites for the first round of the Leinster championship only to be scuppered by a scintillating second- half performance.

This time Louth took control in the first half and after Mark Stanfield had tied up the game for the third time, Louth hit four scores without reply to lead by 0-8 to 0-4 in the 31st minute.

They were on top in midfield and corner back Eamon Callaghan got Kildare's last score of the half as Louth led by 0-10 to 0-5 at the break.

Substitute Mick Foley pointed for Kildare two minutes after the restart and local hopes were rekindled when John Doyle was fouled and converted the free.

But normal service was resumed when Aaron Hoey penalised a foul by Kevin O'Neill with a converted free and Brian White added a point from play.

Kildare's penetration was poor and they weren't winning enough possession in midfield. They went a full 17 minutes without scoring, while Louth maintained a six-point advantage for much of the second period.

At the end of normal time Doyle slotted home a penalty awarded for a foot block, but they could only manage one more point in the five minutes of additional time allowed.

Paddy Keenan put the winners into the comfort zone with a goal - the game's last score - after the ball was flicked on to him by Shane Lennon from a long delivery by substitute James Murray.

LOUTH: S Reynolds; A Page, C Goss, M Fanning; J Neary, P McGinnity, J O'Brien (0-1); P Keenan (1-1), M Farrelly; B White (0-4, three frees), A Hoey (0-4, three frees), M Stanfield (0-1); C Judge (0-3), S Lennon (0-1), R Carroll (0-1). Subs: S O'Neill for White, J Murray for Judge (both 67 mins).

KILDARE: E Murphy; E Callaghan (0-1), K O'Neill, A McLochlainn; A Rainbow, M Hogarty, E Bolton (0-1); R Sweeney, D Lyons; J Kavanagh (0-1), J Doyle (1-4, one pen, one 45, one free), K Donnelly; M Conway, J Phillips, P O'Neill (0-1). Subs: M Foley (0-1) for Kavanagh (half-time); T Rossiter (0-1) for Conway (57 mins); M Scanlon for MacLochlainn (68 mins).

Referee: T Quigley (Dublin).