Mayo’s quality shines through as Louth suffer seventh defeat in a row
Louth 0-17 Mayo 3-22
Caoimhin Reilly
Mayo were comfortable in returning to winning ways at St Brigid’s Park on Saturday afternoon, condemning Louth to a third successive Nicky Rackard Cup defeat.
The Connacht side were in front by nine points at half-time – Eoin Delaney bagging their goal as they led by 1-13 to 0-7 – and with Cormac Phillips and Shane Boland in fine form after the restart, the visitors dished out the Wee county’s biggest defeat of this season’s championship to date.
Eight different players got on the score-sheet for Mayo during the opening period, including defenders Oisín Greally, David Kenny and Eoghan Collins as well as goalkeeper Bobby Douglas from two placed balls.
Louth, as ever, were reliant on free-taking ace Darren Geoghegan for registers, although Stephen Kettle, Peter Fortune and John Casey chipped in with points later in the half.
But Mayo’s goal negated Louth’s good defensive work to that stage. It came on 24 minutes and saw Eoin Delaney collect the sliotar out in front, turn and take off on the 45-metre line, breaking into space and blazing a low shot to the corner of the net.
The hosts didn’t add to their tally until 20 minutes into the second half – through Kettle – but Mayo had already picked up where they left off with a half-a-dozen points, Boland (2), Phillips, Eoghan Collins, Kenny Feeney and Seán Regan hitting over.
Two goals in four minutes by Phillips stretched the gap to 18 (3-20 to 0-11) just past the hour mark and though Louth found their range in the dying embers, substitute Dylan Carey on target thrice, they have a lot of improving to do if they are to retain their Rackard Cup status.
SCORERS – Louth: D Geoghegan (4f) 0-5; D Carey (2f) 0-3; S Kettle, J Casey, P Lynch (1f) 0-2 each; P Fortune, A McGuinness-Smyth, R McKeown 0-1 each. Mayo: C Phillips (0-4f, 0-1 65) 2-5; S Boland (2f) 0-5; E Delaney 1-1; B Douglas (3f) 0-3; E Collins, K Feeney, S Regan 0-2 each; O Greally, D Kenny 0-1 each.
LOUTH: C Clancy; R Mulholland, C Quigley, A Smyth; A McGuinness-Smyth, A Plunkett, G Allen; T McCreesh, S Kettle; S Hodgins, D Geoghegan, P Lynch; P Fortune, J Casey, C Murphy. Subs: C Higgins for McCreesh (51), C Ryan for Hodgins (57), D Carey for Murphy (61), D Stephenson for Casey (63).
MAYO: B Douglas; C Murray, O Greally, D Kenny; L Connor, C Hession, E Collins; S Kenny, J Heraty; L Lavin, A Phillips, S Regan, S Boland, C Phillips, E Delaney. Subs: B Sheridan for Delaney (46), K Feeney for A Phillips (46), B Lane for Douglas (51), S Mulroy for Hession (55), Shane Crinnigan for S Kenny (63).
REF: C Daly (Kildare).
