Louth 1-15 Tipperary 1-9: Louth's season received a boost at Drogheda yesterday with a deserved win over Tipperary. The home side were given a scare before half-time as Tipperary overturned a five-point deficit to lead by 1-5 to 1-4 at the break.

Louth were the better side for most of the half, but took their foot off the pedal after Shane Lennon scored the game's first goal on 22 minutes.

Substitute Benny Hickey dragged Tipperary back into the match with two frees and a delivery to Padraig Foley, who put them ahead with a punched goal just before the break.

Louth came out much stronger in the second-half and eight points over a 20-minutes stretch proved decisive.

LOUTH: S McCoy; B Reilly, C Goss, J Carr; A Page, A Hoey, S Gerrard; N McDonnell (0-2), J Kermath; P Matthews, C Malone (0-1), R Kelly; D Clarke (0-4), S Lennon (1-0), N Sharkey (0-6, four frees, two 45s). Subs: P Keenan (0-1) for P Matthews (20 mins), C Kearney (0-1) for R Kelly (57 mins), A McCartney for S Lennon (63 mins).

TIPPERARY: P Fitzgerald; D Byrne, N Curran, P King; P Morrissey, B Lacey (0-1), C Maher; F O'Callaghan, E Hanrahan; G Burke (0-2), P Foley (1-0), P Cahill (0-2); D Byrne (0-1), K Mulryan, D Browne (0-1). Subs: B Hickey (0-2, both frees) for D Browne (30 mins), N Fitzgerald for F O'Callaghan (44 mins), I Barnes for E Hanrahan (52 mins), J Shanahan for P Foley (58 mins).

YELLOW CARDS - Louth: A Page (34 mins) replaced by P McGinnity, J Kermath (53 mins) replaced by R Carroll. Tipperary, N Curran (64 mins) replaced by N Kelly.

Referee: G McCarron (Monaghan).