NFL Division 2: Louth 1-19 Derry 0-18
With momentum, history, league placings and the wind all on Derry’s side, a second-half save from Louth’s Niall McDonnell to deny Shane McGuigan was even more astounding. The denial halted all of the above, and broke the Oak Leaf spirit.
The Division 2 leaders were coming with their match-winning surge after a sub-par opening but McDonnell, who was having an inspired afternoon, got down to put Louth in the parade ring for Division 1 next season.
Following the same template as their Tyrone win three weeks ago, Louth grabbed an early lead and countered excellently. Dara McDonnell opened the scoring and an early penalty from Sam Mulroy put energy into the home sides. The spot kick came from a missed Mulroy free that Kieran McArdle kept alive and pulled down along the end line.
Once out in front, Louth never looked back, but Derry were breathing down their necks in the second-half melting pot. Before that, Mulroy and Paul Mathews landed orange flags to lead by seven at the turn.
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The wind helped massively but Gavin Devlin’s side played it masterfully, controlling the lines of engagements. Through Niall Loughlin Derry showed some fight with three quick points after the restart to cut the deficit, but they needed a heavier blow to crack Louth’s partisan resolve, to which substitute Tadhg McDonnell was key.
With all the enthusiasm of youth, McDonnell swung over two scores, his two-pointer whipping the home crowd into a frenzy. Then came the all-important penalty. McDonnell had already been busy, but his vital save kept his side the promotion hunt.
With that, Derry were rocked. Louth tagged on three points in a row and substitute Sean Reynolds sealed victory with a late point. Both sides are in with a real shout of reaching Division 1 for next season as well as the Division 2 league final.
LOUTH: N McDonnell; E Carolan, D Campbell, D Nally; C McKeever (0-0-1), D McDonnell (0-1-1), E Callaghan; T Durnin, C Early; P Mathews (0-1-0), S Mulroy (1-1-4, 1f, 1-0 pen), J Maguire; C Keenan, C McCaul (0-0-1), K McArdle (0-0-2). Subs: T McDonnell (0-1-1) for Maguire (43 mins), D McKenny for E Callaghan (58), S Callaghan for Durnin (62), C Branigan for D McDonnell (63), S Reynolds (0-0-1) for McCaul (65).
DERRY: S McGuckin; D Baker, R Forbes, S Downey; C Doherty, G McKinless, P McGrogan; C Glass (0-1-1), B Rogers (0-0-1); E Doherty (0-0-1), S McGuigan, D Higgins; P Cassidy (0-1-0), N Loughlin (0-1-5, 1f), L Murray (0-0-1). Subs: N Toner for S Downey (47 mins), M Downey (0-1-0) for Higgins (53), E McEvoy (0-0-1) for Forbes (57), S Young for E Doherty (62).
Referee: B Cawley (Kildare).
