Louth beat Dublin for first time in the championship since 1973

MAIN MAN: Louth’s Ciarán Byrne celebrates a score. Pic: INPHO/Ryan Byrne

All-Ireland SFC round 1: Dublin 1-24 (1-2-20) Louth 4-18 (4-3-12) 

Craig Lennon’s 67th minute goal ended a 53-year wait for a senior championship win over Dublin in Croke Park.

The crowd may have been poor in size – 16,160 – but they were treated to an entertaining All-Ireland SFC first round game that was nothing like the Leinster semi-final in Portlaoise 29 days ago, which Dublin won by 10 points.

One of three second-half goals for Louth, Lennon availed of Dublin’s failure to deal with a Ciarán Downey two-point effort that came off the post and Dublin’s only response was a Cormac Costello free that was cancelled out by Paul Matthews having the last say.

Dublin now join the likes of Kerry in the losers' group on June 13/14 with the draw to take place on Tuesday morning.

Two James Maguire goals in as many minutes had turned this game on its head. For the first in the 42nd minute, he received a ball down the line from Dáire Nally, drew a foul from Seán Bugler but referee Noel Mooney waved advantage and the midfielder duly took that, drilling the ball past Hugh O’Sullivan on his inside.

The second, Conor Grimes’ attempt to hook over a point fell into the square and Maguire was there to palm the ball to the net. Substitute Ciarán Byrne tagged on a point and Louth were four to the good. A 10-point turnaround from the interval.

The difference was three in the 50th minute when Brian Howard was set up by Bugler for a chance to level the game but Niall McDonnell kept it out.

Bugler drew over a two-pointer shortly afterwards and Niall Scully coupled it with a point to bring Dublin level in the 53rd minute. Dublin twice had to restore parity in the next three minutes as the game opened up.

Then it was Louth’s turn to tie matters on two occasions, Ciarán Kilkenny and Costello points immediately followed by Byrne’s third and Kieran McArdle’s first. The tit-for-tat nature was well and truly ended by Lennon’s goal. Dublin substitute Liam Smith will be kicking himself for putting it on a plate for him.

Louth's Donal McKenny dives to block a shot by Dublin's Cormac Costello. Pic: ©INPHO/Ryan Byrne

Despite being in a medical boot in the build-up, Louth captain Sam Mulroy was named to start and began the game. He was also off the mark inside the opening 10 minutes but the terms had been laid down by Dublin.

They led 0-7 to 0-2 by the 11th minute, Costello’s two-point effort finding its range after Charlie McMorrow had picked off a couple of early points.

A Mulroy two-point free was a strong reply for Louth who then had two shots cleared off the line after they turned over Dublin’s kick-out following Mulroy’s score.

David Byrne was level to Craig Lennon’s strike and then Seán MacMahon had the awareness to keep out James Maguire's follow-up attempt. Costello then stung the gloves of McDonnell but the ball was at least parried over the bar.

Louth had their best spell with 1-2 in less than three minutes. Two white flags were raised before they feasted on another Dublin kick-out, Mulroy fed McArdle and he was given too much space to beat O’Sullivan.

Con O’Callaghan had a shot blocked by Dáire Nally but opened his scoring account with a fisted point in the 25th minute and then delivered a goal four minutes later. His Cuala club-mate Eoin Kennedy sent in a diagonal ball and O’Callaghan shrugged off the attentions of Donal McKenny to find the opposite corner of the net with the outside of his boot.

It was a goal we had seen from the Dublin captain before and served as a reminder of his brilliance. It also electrified his team. Dublin posted three more points, a third from McMorrow, and the margin at the break was six, 1-12 to 1-6.

Scorers for Dublin: C. Costello (0-8, 1 tp, 2 frees); C. O’Callaghan (1-3); S. Bugler (0-4, 1 tp); C. McMorrow, P. Small (0-3 each); K. McGinnis, N. Scully, C. Kilkenny (0-1 each).

Scorers for Louth: S. Mulroy (0-5, 1 tpf, 2 frees); J. Maguire (2-0); C. Lennon (1-2); K. McArdle (1-1); C. Byrne (0-3); R. Burns (1tp), C. Downey, D. McDonnell (tp) (0-2 each); P. Matthews (0-1) DUBLIN: H. O’Sullivan; G. McEneaney, S. MacMahon, D. Byrne; C. McMorrow, N. Doran, E. Kennedy; C. Kilkenny, B. Howard; S. Bugler, K. McGinnis, N. Scully; P. Small, C. O’Callaghan (c), C. Costello.

Subs for Dublin: L. Gannon for E. Kennedy (41); E. Dunne for K. McGinnis (inj 43); C. Murphy for G. McEneaney (45); L. Smith for N. Doran (inj 58); T. Lahiff for C. McMorrow (65).

LOUTH: N. McDonnell; D. Nally, E. Carolan, D. McKenny; C. Lennon, D. McDonnell, C. McKeever; S. Callaghan, C. Early; J. Maguire, S. Mulroy (c), C. Grimes; C. McCaul, C. Downey, K. McArdle.

Subs for Louth: R. Burns for C. Early (h-t); T. Durnin for S. Callaghan, C. Byrne for C. McCaul (both 42); P. Matthews for C. Grimes (52); L. Gray for J. Maguire (64).

Referee: N. Mooney (Cavan).