Wicklow still on track

Wicklow 1-11 Louth 1-8: Wicklow edged home against a 14-man Louth side at Ardee yesterday to consolidate an unbeaten start to their league campaign.

The visitors had to come from behind against a Louth side that lost corner back Simon Gerrard following a red card after just 12 minutes when he was cited by an umpire for kicking following a goalmouth scramble.

The home side scored their goal after 16 minutes with full forward Ollie McDonnell taking the ball around goalkeeper Robert Hollingsworth before shooting it into the net.

That goal gave Louth a 1-1 to 0-2 lead and while Trevor Doyle did score three points for Wicklow before the end of the half, points from Paddy Keenan and one from Aaron Hoey on the stroke of half-time earned Louth a slender 1-3 to 0-5 interval lead.

Louth led by 1-7 to 0-7 with 15 minutes remaining when Doyle pointed twice and that was followed by Tommy Gill's first point of the match after 58 minutes.

From the kick-out Wicklow won possession again and Wayne O'Gorman was sent clear to smash the ball low past substitute goalkeeper Mark Savage.

That four-minute spell broke Louth hearts and with their bodies obviously tired from their earlier efforts they couldn't claw their way back into the match.

WICKLOW: R Hollingsworth; C Hyland, C Foley, T Burke; A Foley, G Dolan, B Daly; C Clancy, B Ó Hannaidh; A Ellis (0-1), T Doyle (0-7, five frees), B Sheehan; W O'Gorman (1-0), T Gill (0-1), S Byrne (0-1). Subs: D Ó Hannaidh for G Dolan (22 mins), C Davis for C Foley (39 mins), P O'Riordan for B Sheehan (44 mins), T Hannon (0-1) for S Byrne (47 mins), S Hurley for B Ó Hannaidh (68 mins).

LOUTH: S McCoy; R Kelly, J Kermath, S Gerrard; P McGinnity, A Page, P Mallon; S O'Neill (0-2), D Devaney; P Keenan (0-1), A Hoey (0-2, one free), D Clarke (0-2, one free); D Bracken, O McDonnell (1-1), C Malone. Subs: J Carr for C Malone (16 mins), M Savage for S McCoy (37 mins), C Malone for D Clarke (61 mins), JJ Quigley for D Devaney (63 mins), M McGeown for P Mallon (68 mins).

Referee: S McGonigle (Donegal).