A young Louth side notched their first win of their league campaign against a Limerick side who were not good enough to capitalise on Louth's loose play at Drogheda yesterday.

Playing in front of one of the smallest attendances for a league match in Louth for many years, the home side got a terrific start with a goal from Ollie McDonnell inside two minutes. Michael Reidy was Limerick's only score taker, pointing five frees, the first of which arrived after just three minutes.

Reidy, however, only added one more for the half, while Louth scored seven points before the break, three from Stefan White. The Burren player ended Louth's best move of the match on 38 minutes with a fierce shot beyond Toddy McMahon in the Limerick goal for the game's second goal.

Louth were never tested by Limerick and all of the visitors' chances were presented by a poor Louth full-back line. Ahead 2-8 to 0-3 after eight minutes of the second half, Louth cruised for the final 20 minutes, adding six more points while putting almost as many chances wide of the posts.

Louth: C Nally; B Philips, B Keenan, D Brennan; A Hoey, J Donaldson, C Fitzpatrick; S O'Neill, S Melia (0-3); A Rooney, A O'Neill, O McDonnell (1-2); S White (1-5, three frees), G O'Neill (0-1), N Sharkey (0-2, one free). Subs: M Farrelly (0-1) for A Rooney; A Doherty (0-2) for A O'Neill; K Lynch for S O'Neill

Limerick: T McMahon; P Windle, D Sheehy, G O'Connor; N Kelly, D Reidy, J Stokes; M O'Doherty, N Mulvihill; F Finnan, T Carroll, J Murphy; M Reidy (0-5, all frees), P Galvin, S Ahern. Sub: P Doherty for S Ahern.

Referee: C Buckley, Offaly.