Minus Mulroy, Louth find shooting boots to seal Division 2 safety 

Louth’s Donal McKenny celebrates with manager Ger Brennan. Pic: James Crombie/Inpho

Division 2: Louth 1-19 Meath 0-17

Even without Sam Mulroy, Louth showed more than enough in front of the posts to see off near neighbours Meath to secure safety in Division 2 for next season.

The Louth accuracy in the first half built too much of a tally for Robbie Brennan’s side to chase down and denied Meath promotion to Division 1 at the same time.

Without their talisman, the free-taking duties fell to Ryan Burns and he delivered with aplomb.

The corner forward would have had a hundred percent record only for the post to annoyingly deny him at the death.

Regardless a grand total of nine points from placed balls would be the difference but his two frees from beyond the arc were pivotal in that key opening period.

Embattled Louth played with greater intent in the first half with the aid of the wind.

Lacking confidence coming into the crunch tie, Kieran McArdle provided the needed injection when the youngster hit the net in the seventh minute. A poor kick-out punished.

With the wind literally in their sails Louth drove on and used that momentum to lead by eleven at half time 1-13 to 0-05.

Replacement Conor Branigan had a huge say in that match-winning margin. The wing forward hit two two-pointers towards the end of the opening period that in truth, stretched the game beyond their rivals.

In-form Jordan Morris was keeping Meath in touch but a flurry of wides and seven shots into the goalie's hands allowed Louth to drift into a winning position.

Meath’s failure from beyond the arc when chasing down Louth made Ger Brennan’s task easier. Morris did land one and replacement Keith Curtis also, but the sequence was broken every time.

Match winner Burns landed four frees pushed the game beyond the Royals in the and followed up another famous victory in Inniskeen from last May.

Morris would depart the game with a bad injury, and despite the long delay, Louth tensions were eased as they knew they were safe on the head-to-head ruling with Down.

Scorers for Louth: Ryan Burns 0-9 (5 frees, 2 tpf) Kieran McArdle 1-1, Conor Branigan 0-4 (2 tp) Tommy Durnin 0-3 (1 tp) Emmet Carolan and Peter Lynch 0-1 each.

Scorers for Meath: Jordan Morris 0-8 (2 tp, 2 frees, 1 tpf), Eoghan Frayne 0-4 (2f 1tpf), Jack Flynn 0-2, Keith Curtis 0-2 (2 tp), Aaron Lynch 0-1.

LOUTH: N McDonnell; D McKenny, D Campbell, E Carolan,; D Nally, P Lynch, C McKeever; T Durnin, F Malone; A McDonnell, C Downey, P Mathews; K McArdle, S Reynolds, R Burns. 

Subs: C Branigan for A McDonnell (13), Dylan McKeown for Reynolds (45), Dara McDonnell for Malone (57), Liam Flynn for Downey (66).

MEATH: B Hogan; S Lavin, S Rafferty, D Keogan; E Harkin, B O’Halloran, C Caulfield; J Flynn, B Menton; C Duke, J Kinlough, R Kinsella; A Lynch, E Frayne, J Morris. 

Subs: M Costello for Duke (44), K Curtis for Kinlough (51), S Walsh for Kinsella (60), C Hickey for Lynch (60), J Scully for Harkin (68).

Referee: K Eannetta (Tyrone)