Sport

Carroll has the last word

Louth 2-11 DCU 0-16: A LAST-GASP point from Ronan Carroll saved Louth’s blushes and booked a third final appearance on the bounce…

Mon Jan 24 2011 - 00:00

Louth 2-11 DCU 0-16:A LAST-GASP point from Ronan Carroll saved Louth's blushes and booked a third final appearance on the bounce as Peter Fitzpatrick's side survived a gutsy UCD comeback in Drogheda.

The hosts cruised into a nine-point lead in the 20th minute, but eight points without reply from the students either side of half-time put an intriguing game back in the melting pot.

After an even opening 20 minutes Louth seemed to take control when Shane Lennon made it 0-6 to 0-3, before playing a major role in the only two goals of the game.

The big full forward plundered the first himself, beating Colin Ford to a Brian Donnelly shot that dropped short, to flick a clever finish past Michael Savage.

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And the UCD goalkeeper was retrieving the ball from his net less than 60 seconds later as Lennon broke a high delivery down to Mark Brennan, who drilled a superb volley past Savage.

Louth then failed to score for 20 minutes as UCD came storming back. The students reeled off four points without reply before the break, and they continued in that vein after the re-start to close the gap to a single point, before Carroll ended the host’s barren spell to make it 2-7 to 0-11.

Louth just about kept their noses in front until the 65th minute when John Heslin drew UCD level, but Paddy Keenan gave Louth the edge again.

UCD’s Ciarán Lyng was denied by a superb, point-blank save by Seán Connor. Rob Kelly did restore parity, but UCD were left to rue that missed chance as Carroll popped up to cap a fine personal display with the winning point.

LOUTH:S Connor; G Hoey, A Hoey, R Greene; R Finnegan, D Crilly, L Shevlin; P Keenan (0-3, 2f), R Carroll (0-4); D Byrne, M Brennan (1-0), B Donnelly; A Reid, S Lennon (1-2, 2f), D Maguire (0-2). Subs:J Murray for D Byrne (44), E McAuley (44), P Rath for R Greene (57).

UCD:M Savage; J Hayes, C Ford, M Fitzsimons; C Brady, S Redmond, T Warburton (0-1); K McGourty, J Heslin (0-1); J McLoughlin (0-2), C Kenny (0-1), L Smith; C Lyng (0-4, 2f), R Kelly (0-5, 3f), D Larkin (0-1). Subs:M Brazil for D Larkin (40), J Cocoman (0-1) for L Smith (50), M McGowan for T Warburton (50).

Referee:S Carroll (Westmeath).

Next Up . . .In the O'Byrne Cup final, scheduled to take place next weekend, Kildare will meet Louth. Venue and time to be announced.