Last-gasp free sees Louth and Longford share the spoils

A free from Sam Mulroy in the eighth minute of stoppage time earned Louth a point against Longford in Glennon Brothers Pearse Park.

This game was dubbed a 'four-pointer' and both sides had to settle for a share of the spoils. Longford will feel aggrieved because five minutes of stoppage time had been announced and they thought they had done well to hold on after a fine point from Des Reynolds in the 68th minute that edged them ahead. Reynolds received a black card just before the end.

Louth had early possession but decided to play keep ball in the opening minutes as Longford defended in numbers. The opening score of the game came in the eighth minute when Liam Jackson played the ball into Sam Mulroy and he found the back of the net.

Longford were level in the 14th minute with points from Jayson Matthews, Iarla O’Sullivan and Paddy Fox. Ciaran Byrne hit over two fine points for Louth to give them a two-point lead in the 22nd minute.

The Wee County were playing into the wind and did well despite the elements. Frees were exchanged between Darren Gallagher (Longford) and Mulroy (Louth) as Mickey Harte’s side went in at the break with a 1-03 to 0-04 lead.

A pointed free from Jayson Matthews cut the gap to just one point five minutes into the second half but an excellent point from Ciaran Downey restored Louth’s two-point lead in the 42nd minute.

Good work from Des Reynolds yielded a free for Longford which Gallagher fired over and in the 45th minute James Moran got up to level the game. Gallagher hit over his third free of the day to edge Longford ahead for the first time in the 60th minute.

There is never anything between these two sides and the last 10 minutes proved that. A fantastic score from Mulroy drew the sides level again