Wee County dig out win but McArdle and Kettle boil over

LOUTH, Mayo and Roscommon are locked on eight points apiece with one round of fixtures left to be contested.

As Roscommon received a walkover victory over Fingal, the only action of the day took place in Letterkenny where two sides on opposite spirals collided in the form of Donegal and Louth.

The visitors finished with only 13 men following the dismissals of both Domhnaill McArdle and David Kettle but were more than convincing in their 6-12 to 1-8 win. At half-time there was only a two-point margin in it, with Louth 2-5 to 1-6 in front.

Two goals in 30 seconds in the 25th minute from Derek Horan and Brian Corcoran gave Louth a cushion but when Lee Henderson netted for the hosts and McArdle was shown the line following a second booking, things were still in the melting pot.

However, Paddy Kelly’s team steamrolled home after the break. Derek O’Hanrahan grabbed a third goal before a brace from Shane Cullinane, the first dropped by Donegal netminder Paul O’Brien. Diarmuid O’Sullivan completed the win, although Kettle was red-carded for a lunge at Donegal captain Colm Breatnach.