Dublin push on to claim facile victory over Louth

Dublin 2-16, Louth 0-7

Joe Quigley scored from the penalty spot as Dublin beat Louth in the Leinster U-20 FC at Parnell Park. Photo: Sportsfile

DUBLIN 2-16 LOUTH 0-7

Dublin completed their second successive win in Group 2 of the Eirgrid Leinster Under 20 Football Championship when overcoming Louth by 15 points at Parnell Park.

The visitors took an early lead through a well-struck ‘45’ from Harry Butterly in the second minute, with Dublin replying in kind through Luke Breathnach two minutes later.

Louth were far more impressive initially and should have netted in the 6th minute but after rounding Andrew Smyth in the Dublin goal, full-forward Tom Matthews saw his goal-bound shot diverted to safety by the retreating Alex Gavin.

Dublin were starved of possession at this juncture but gradually assumed control through points from Tom Brennan and Breathnach. Two more in quick succession from Darragh Dempsey and the lively Breathnach left them 0-5 to 0-1 clear by the 17th minute.

The same duo added points through marks as the half progressed, with Louth gaining reward for some sporadic pressure towards the end of the half through a brace of frees from substitute Kyle McElroy.

Trailing by 0-9 to 0-3 at the break, the visitors added their first score from play through Dara McDonnell within a minute of the restart but Dublin were soon tagging on points at the opposite end thanks to captain Conor Dolan and Brennan.

The contest was effectively settled in the 41st minute when Dempsey was hauled down for the most blatant of penalties and Joe Quigley had little trouble in sending Josh Finlay the wrong way from the resultant spot kick.

The final quarter petered out as a result with substitute Caelum Moriarty adding an injury-time goal to leave Dublin in cruise control by the final whistle.

Scorers – Dublin: L Breathnach 0-6 (2 marks, 1f), J Quigley 1-1 (1-0pen, 0-1f), D Dempsey (1f, 1 mark), T Brennan 0-3 each, C Moriarty 1-0, C Dolan, G McEneaney, S Smith 0-1 apiece. Louth: K McElroy (2f), K McArdle (2f) 0-2 each, H Butterly (‘45’), D McDonnell, C Maher 0-1 each.

DUBLIN: A Smyth; E O’Connor Flanagan, T Clancy, E Nugent; A Gavin, J Cotter, D O’Leary; E Dunne, G McEneaney; T Brennan, L Ward, C Dolan; D Dempsey, L Breathnach, J Quigley. Subs: M McDonald for Dunne (44), S Smith for Ward (47), C Moriarty for Brennan (52), K O’Brien for Breathnach (54), D McGrath for Cotter (57).

LOUTH: J Finlay; F Tipping, B Corrigan, M Holohan; C Maher, S Reynolds, T McDonnell; D McDonnell, S Callaghan; J Rogers, K McArdle, L Flynn; H Butterly, T Matthews, D Dorian. Subs: C Taaffe for Dorian (24), K McElroy for Flynn (24), D Reilly for Butterly (47), B Gartlan for Maher (54) .

REF: Keith O’Brien (Westmeath).