Louth bridge 32-year gap as Downey's stunner helps see off Tyrone 

TOUGH TO TAKE: Tyrone's Seanie O’Donnell dejected. Pic: INPHO/Grace Halton

NFL Division 2: Louth 1-15 Tyrone 0-13

Louth ambushed Tyrone on their return to Páirc Mhuire to record their first victory over the Red Hands in 32 years.

An early and magnificent Ciaran Downey lob stole the show and allowed his side to believe and crucially defend from the front.

Everything about the setting felt unfamiliar for the visitors. The surface clung to the boot, heavy and tacky underfoot and took away their expected second-half surge with the wind at their backs.

A fierce gale barrelled straight down the spine of the pitch in the first half as Louth prospered off very little in terms of possession. Three first-half orange flags to be exact, Conor Grimes, Sam Mulroy and Dara McDonnell all successful. Tyrone landed none.

The novel grandstand perhaps distorted Malachy O’Rourke’s side's perception. These were nuances Tyrone were trying to get used to in real time as Louth revelled throughout.

Chasing a game from the outset, Downey’s early brilliance gave the hosts a four-point lead. Gavin Devlin’s men raced into that lead and immediately settled into a counter-attacking approach.

Though the Oz-bound Darragh Canavan persistently chipped away, keeping Tyrone within striking distance, Louth were measured and Padraic Tinnelly excelled on snuffing out Eoin McElholm. Both played in last year's U20 All-Ireland final.

Canavan trimmed the margin to three by half-time, 1-8 to 0-8 and Louth were not ready to be swatted away. Even a Tommy Durnin black card failed to derail the Leinster Champions.

The second-half revival never truly materialised no matter what changes Malachy O’Rourke brought in. Darren McCurry did find the range but fellow attacking substitutions Ruairi Canavan, Cullen, Ethan Jordan and Ruairi McCullagh all failed to threaten.

Louth finished strongly, sealing a famous win with the last three points of the game, Sam Mulroy with a brac of free’s along with Craig Lennon picked off their dazed and weary opponents.

Scorers for Louth: S Mulroy 0-7 (1 tp, 5f), C Downey 1-0, C Grimes 0-3 (1 tp), D McDonnell (1tp) and C Lennon 0-2 each, K McArdle 0-1.

Scorers for Tyrone: D Canavan 0-6 (2f), N Morgan 0-2 (1’45, f), S O’Donnell, M McKernan, C Daly, D McCurry and R Cassidy 0-1 each.

Louth: N McDonnell; P Tinnelly, D Campbell, D McKenny; T McDonnell, E Carolan, C Lennon; D McDonnell, C Early; P Mathews, S Mulroy, C Grimes; K McArdle, C Downey, R Burns. Subs: C McKeever for Mathews (45), T Durnin for D McDonnell (48), E Callaghan for Campbell (56) 

Tyrone: N Morgan; C Quinn, A Clarke, M Rafferty; R Cassidy, M McKernan, B Cullen; B Kennedy, C Daly; E McElholm, C Kilpatrick, F Burns; D Canavan, M Donnelly, Seanie O’Donnell. Subs: D McCurry for McElholm (45), R Brennan for Burns (48), R Canavan for Cullen (53), E Jordan for D Canavan (56), R McCullagh for Donnelly (64).

Ref: D Murnane (Cork)