LOUTH - 2-19 LONDON - 0-1:A single point from 30 metres by corner forward Stephen Lynch was all London had to offer against Louth in Castlebellingham yesterday.

Conditions were far from ideal for football, but a tally of a single point is a deplorable return from 70 minutes of football. The match turned out to be nothing more than a workout for Louth as London were no match for the home side.

The home side were quickly out of the blocks with a point from Barry Clarke inside the opening 20 seconds. A penalty by top scorer and captain for the day, Mark Stanfield, five minutes later set Louth on their way.

Stanfield, scorer of 11 points the previous week in an away defeat to Armagh, equalled that tally yesterday, finishing with 1-8. However, it could have been much more for the O'Connell's man as he struck a post with a second-half penalty and later missed another golden goal chance.

The home side led 2-7 to 0-1 at the interval and should have had at least four goals in the second half, but three times corner forward David Reilly was ignored when in the ideal position to further boost Louth's scoring average.

LOUTH: S Reynolds; S Gerrard, D Shevlin, D Brennan; B Keenan, C Quinn, J Neary; M Farrelly, C Grimes (0-2, one 45); O McDonnell (0-1), K Lynch, B Clarke (0-1); D Reilly (0-2), M Stanfield 1-8, one pen, 3 frees, one 45, JP Rooney (1-2). Subs: A Page for B Keenan, A Hoey for C Quinn, M McDonnell (0-2) for K Lynch, A Doherty (0-1) for JP Rooney, K Reilly for C Grimes

LONDON: E Brown; P McDonagh, N Jordan, C Byrne; S Sherry, T O'Donovan, P Madigan; K Waldron, C McHugh; M Gillespie, N Quinn, A Dillane; S Lynch (0-1), C Floody, C Finnerty. Subs: D Traynor for C Finnerty, V Murphy for S Sherry.

Referee: S McGonigle (Donegal).