Sam Mulroy leads six-goal Louth rout of Fermanagh

Sam Mulroy of Louth. Photo by Ben McShane/Sportsfile

Allianz FL Division 2: Louth 6-17 Fermanagh 0-11

Ruthless Louth took Fermanagh for six at home in DEFY Páirc Mhuire to crucially jump above the Erne siders on the Allianz Division 2 table.

Captain Sam Mulroy landed two goals in the first half along with corner back Peter Lynch and Conor Grimes while impressive duo of Ciarán Downey and Tom Jackson wrapped up the one sided affair with two in the second period.

The result on the day does not bring either side certainty, both sides have their status still to play for next weekend in the final weekend of league action.

It took Fermanagh nearly a quarter of an hour to register their first score. In the meantime, Louth built up a substantial six point lead.

Netminder Ross Bogue was playing a high wire act for the visitors and finally after numerous scares beforehand, Mulroy finally punished the rambling net minder with a long range shot into the open goal.

Fermanagh manager Kieran Donnnelly’s got a response through Ultan Kelm and Garvan Jones initially, but they well and truly pressed the self-destruct button when Peter Lynch got forward to palm home at the back stick.

Things got worse for the Ernesiders when they aggressively pressed on Louth’s restart. The ball went through midfielder Tommy Durnin and Mulroy nailed his second, Louth’s third.

Joint top scorers Jones and Seán Cassidy tried in vain to keep a float but Conor Grimes smashed the game beyond Fermanagh on the stroke of half time to make it 4-6 to 0-6.

The Wee County oozed confidence and controlled the play entirely from the resumption. Grimes landed two quick scores in a punishing third quarter for the travellers.

Newtown Blues midfielder Ciarán Downey returned from suspension and played a huge part in dictating Ger Brennan’s team's fine second period. Downey nailed the fifth and from that restart, Ardee St. Mary’s Tom Jackson drilled home the sixth on home soil.

Fermanagh will lick their wounds and travel to Cavan next weekend while Louth with their faith now in their own hands, will take on Kildare in their newly adopted home of Netwatch Cullen Park.

Scorers for Louth: Sam Mulroy 2-5 (2f), Ciarán Downey 1-3, Conor Grimes 1-2, Peter Lynch 1-1, Tom Jackson 1-0, Ciarán Keenan 0-3, Ryan Burns, Tommy Durnin and Dermot Campbell 0-1 each.

Scorers for Fermanagh: Garvan Jones (3f) and Seán Cassidy (1f) 0-3 each, Diarmuid King, Shane McGullion, Ultan Kelm, Fionan O’Brien and Declan McCusker 0-1 each.

LOUTH: Niall McDonnell; Peter Lynch, Dermot Campbell, Donal McKenny; Leonard Grey, Anthony Williams, Conall McKeever; Tommy Durnin, Ciarán Downey; Conor Grimes, Sam Mulroy, Ciarán Murphy; Ryan Burns, Ciarán Keenan, Tom Jackson.

Subs: Liam Jackson for T Jackson (51) Dan Corcoran for McKenny (51) Wayne Campbell for Murphy (59), Jay Hughes for Burns (63), Niall Sharkey for Grey (66) 

FERMANAGH: Ross Bogue; Lee Cullen, Ché Cullen, Oisín Smyth; Declan McCusker, Shane McGullion, Ronan McCaffrey; Brandon Horan, Joe McDade; Conor McGee, Conor McShea, Josh Largo Elis; Ultan Kelm, Garvan Jones, Seán Cassidy.

Subs: Fionan O’Brien for Elis (ht), Diarmuid King for McCaffrey (44), James McMahon for McCusker (51) Conor Love for Jones (51) Jonathan Cassidy for Smyth (68) 

Ref: Seán Hurson (Tyrone)