Derry 0-19 Louth 1-16:DARREN CLARKE'S injury-time equaliser meant Louth claimed a share of the spoils in a very open game at Celtic Park yesterday to keep their hopes of avoiding relegation alive.
When the superb Paddy Bradley kicked his seventh point of the day as the match ticked over into injury Derry led by two and looked to have taken a big step toward securing their own status. However, substitute Brian White pulled one back for the Wee County to set-up Clarke’s rescue act from the final attack of the match.
Derry will point to Louth’s third from last score of the game by James McEneaney, which many in the ground thought had gone wide, but were culpable themselves in their own lack of composure in closing out the game.
In fairness, this was a game where both defences struggled throughout, with the scores coming thick and fast.
With 10 minutes on the clock Derry led by 0-5 to 1-1 with Blaine Gormley, Eoghan Brown, Conleith Gilligan (two frees) and Bradley on target for the hosts and Clarke notching his first two scores of the game for Louth, the visitors also having had a super goal chance blazed wide by Brian Donnelly as early as the second minute.
Throughout the first half Derry countered Louth’s defensive blanket by point from distance while the visitors counterattacked effectively.
Seán Leo McGoldrick, Enda Lynn, Gilligan (three) and Charlie Kielt pointed for the hosts and Clarke (two), James Carr, Jim McEneaney and Derek Maguire for Louth to see the scores level at 0-11 to 1-8 at the break.
With the breeze at their back Louth started the second half well and Clarke scored twice. Ronan Carroll pointed to see them lead by 1-11 to 0-12.
However six unanswered points by Derry, including four from Bradley, looked to have put the hosts in control at 0-18 to 1-12 with time running out.
However, Derry lost control after the excellent Michael Friel went off injured and points from Ray Finnegan, a Clarke free and that heavily debated point from McEneaney brought them to within a point.
Bradley stepped in to steady the ship for Derry and thought he had won it but that late salvo from White and Clarke earned Louth a point they deserved.
DERRY:B Gillis; B McCallion, C McKaigue, A McAlynn; C Kielt (0-1), M Drumm, S L McGoldrick (0-1); M Friel, PJ McCloskey; N Forrester, C Gilligan (0-6, five frees), B Gormley (0-1); E Brown(0-2), P Bradley (0-7, two frees), Enda Lynn (0-1). Subs: Patsy Bradley for Forester (25 mins), E Scullion for McAlynn (half-time), C O'Boyle for McCloskey (57 mins), J Diver for Friel (62 mins) R Scott for M Drumm (65 mins).
LOUTH: N Gallagher; P Rath, D Finnegan, R Finnegan; D Byrne, J Carr (0-1), L Shevlin; B Donnelly, R Carroll (0-1); D Crilly, M Brennan, A Reid (0-1); D Maguire (0-1), J McEneaney (0-3), D Clarke (1-7, four frees, one 45). Subs: J Califf for Donnelly (25 mins), A McDonnell for Crilly (54 mins), S Fitzpatrick for Rath (54 mins), B White (0-1) for Reid (54 mins), A Hoey (0-1) for Califf (64 mins).
Referee: Michael Duffy (Sligo).
