Louth outplayed in second half

Derry 0-21 Louth 1-7 Derry bounced back from last week's loss in Kildare in convincing fashion at Celtic Park yesterday to keep themselves in the promotion race and all but end Louth's hopes of a return to the top flight.

Trailing by a point at the break, Mickey Moran's side cut through the Louth defence almost at will in the second period. Apart from one 10-minute period in the second quarter, Derry were always the better side, with Enda Muldoon and Fergal Doherty providing the midfield platform that allowed Geoffrey McGonigle, Conleth Gilligan and Conleth Moran to put Louth to the sword.

It has to be said Val Andrews's side were less than impressive. Apart from Ollie McDonnell's freak 30th-minute goal they managed only one point from play, relying for scores on the excellent free-taking of Aaron Hoey.

Derry started with intent and McGonigle got them off the mark from a free. Muldoon doubled the lead soon after before Louth got their first point, courtesy of Darren Clarke.

Points from Muldoon (two), Mullan and Moran pushed Derry out to a five-point lead but just when it looked like the home team would wrap the game up before half-time Louth went through a 10-minute purple patch. Three frees from Hoey closed the gap to two. And when Barry Gillis miscued a kickout and Ollie McDonnell latched onto the ball and coolly lobbed it over the stranded keeper to the net Louth were suddenly in front, 1-4 to 0-6. As injury time loomed they doubled their lead with Hoey's fourth free but McGonigle pulled one back to leave one between the sides at the break.

Last week Derry endured a torrid second half, but this time it was they who handed out the punishment. Paudie O'Neill pointed after 90 seconds and by the 13th minute the flag had been raised a further six times as Gilligan, Moran, Ryan Lynch, O'Neill, McGonigle and Francis McEldowney all thumped over points.

Clarke and Hoey pointed for Louth midway through the half but in the last 15 minutes Derry took seven unanswered scores.

DERRY: B Gillis; K McCloy, K McGuckin, D Scullion; R Lynch (0-1), SM Lockhart, F McEldowney (0-1); F Doherty, E Muldoon (0-6, two frees); C O'Brien, C Gilligan (0-3), C Moran (0-3); P O'Neill (0-2), G McGonigle (0-4), C Mullan (0-1). Subs: P Bradley for Muldoon, J Bradley for Mullan, J Donaghy for O'Neill.

LOUTH: S McCoy; A Page, J Kermath, S Gerard; P McGinnity, A Rogan, M McGeown; P Mallon, D Devenney; JJ Quigley, A Hoey (0-5, all frees), R Finnegan; D Clarke (0-2, one free), O McDonnell (1-0), C Malone. Subs: D Shevlin for Rogan, P McGuigan for Quigley, R Carroll for Finnegan.

Referee: G Kinneavy (Roscommon).