Niall McNamee's masterful performance steers Offaly past Louth after extra-time

Offaly's David Dempsey celebrates at Páirc Tailteann in Navan. Photo by David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile

Leinster SFC first round: Offaly 3-19 Louth 0-19 (AET) 

Another Niall McNamee masterclass helped propel Offaly beyond the stubborn challenge of Mickey Harte's Louth in Navan and through to the Leinster SFC quarter-finals.

It took extra-time to get the job done but John Maughan's men eventually prevailed with goals from veteran McNamee and Peter Cunningham during the additional 20 minutes proving decisive.

Bernard Allen also netted in regular time as Offaly secured a nine-point win overall to set up a quarter-final clash with Kildare next weekend.

Open champion and Offaly GAA partner Shane Lowry looked on from the main stand though even he would accept that the nine-point win flattered the Faithful.

Louth battled bravely in Harte's first Championship game in charge but ran out of steam in extra-time and were outscored by 2-4 to 0-1 in that period.

McNamee struck 1-3 in total but set up several crucial scores including Cunningham's 84th-minute goal which sealed the win.

Cian Farrell impressed too with 0-7 overall for an Offaly side with 11 different scorers.

As for Louth, who were promoted from Division 4, their season is over.

Offaly arrived at Páirc Tailteann with the superior league record but it was Louth that had performed better in the provincial championship across the last decade.

With just two wins from 13 games in Leinster between 2011 and 2020, Offaly actually possessed the worst record in the province in that period.

Louth, meanwhile, were chasing their seventh win in that timeframe and while they started slowly, they came roaring back into it with a terrific second quarter.

Offaly led by 0-6 to 0-4 at the first water break but Louth's response was to reel off five of the next six points to lead by 0-9 to 0-7 at half-time.

Louth struggled initially to contain Offaly forwards McNamee and Farrell who kicked a brace of points each in the opening 20 minutes.

McNamee, who came on at Croke Park last weekend, oozed quality again and his movement was superb with the 35-year-old also playing in Cunningham for a score.

At the other end, Louth frustratingly dropped three point attempts short into Offaly 'keeper Paddy Dunican's arms.

But the water break helped Louth who restarted the brighter and ran hard at Offaly's defence.

Sam Mulroy converted two frees and powerful Conor Grimes boomed over a score as the underdogs turned the screw.

Experienced Offaly forward Anton Sullivan, after kicking away possession on three occasions, was substituted in the 30th minute as Maughan's patience wore thin.

A cagey second half swung this way and that with both sides wrestling control of the lead, only to promptly cough it up.

Offaly dominated the third quarter to lead by a point but conceded scores to brothers Declan and Ciaran Byrne and trailed by one with 10 minutes to go.

It looked like they'd finally grabbed full control of proceedings when Allen's point attempt dropped in for a 64th-minute goal, Farrell adding a point shortly after.

But their 1-15 to 0-15 lead still wasn't enough and a resolute Louth forced extra-time with points from Anthony Williams and Mulroy, the latter kicking the leveller from a free in the 74th minute.

Offaly were surprisingly at their ease in extra-time, McNamee palming to the net for a 75th-minute goal and then turning provider for Cunningham to do likewise in the 84th minute.

Offaly scorers: C Farrell (0-7, 4 frees); N McNamee (1-3); P Cunningham (1-1); B Allen (1-0); P Dunican (0-2, 1 45, 1 free); R McNamee, J Hayes, N Darby, B Carroll, M Abbott & E Carroll (0-1 each).

Louth scorers: S Mulroy (0-6, 4 frees); C Byrne (0-3); C Keenan (0-2); R Burns, C Grimes, L Jackson, E Callaghan, D Campbell, D Byrne, A Williams & C Downey (0-1 each).

Offaly: P Dunican; J Lalor, E Rigney, N Darby; D Dempsey, J Moloney, C Doyle; P Cunningham, J Hayes; S Horan, C Stewart, A Sullivan; C Farrell, N McNamee, R McNamee.

Subs: B Carroll for Sullivan (30); E Carroll for Horan (h/t); B Allen for Cunningham (56); C Mangan for Moloney (61), M Abbott for R McNamee (70). Sullivan for B Carroll, Cunningham for Hayes & C Donohoe for Stewart (e/t); J Quinn for Doyle (78); J Maher for N McNamee (86), A Leavy for Dempsey (91).

Louth: C Lynch; D Corcoran, D Campbell, D McKenny; E Carolan, A Williams, E Callaghan; B Duffy, C Byrne; L Jackson, S Mulroy, C Downey; C Keenan, C Grimes, R Burns.

Subs: D Byrne for Burns (45); N Sharkey for Corcoran (51); S Marry for Duffy & D Nally for Jackson (68), C McKeever for Grimes (76). T Durnin for Lally (77), Jackson for Keenan (h/t e/t), J Clutterbuck for Carolan (84).

Ref: B Cawley (Kildare).