Round-up: Electric Ireland Leinster MFC
The cup before last year's Electric Ireland Leinster MFC final. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
Electric Ireland Leinster MFC Round 3
Group 1
Louth 1-14 Kildare 1-12
Meath 6-22 Laois 0-7
Group 2
Dublin 4-17 Longford 1-12
Group 3
Wicklow 5-18 Kilkenny 0-3
By Paul Keane
This could be the Louth team that finally brings the Electric Ireland Leinster MFC title back to the Wee County.
Beaten in last year's provincial decider, and still chasing a first title at the grade since 1953, the current group showed remarkable character this evening to beat Kildare and to secure top spot in Group 1 - catapulting them through to the last four.
With both teams unbeaten heading to Hawkfield, it was a shootout for top spot in the group and one of the two semi-final spots for group winners.
Kildare led for virtually all of the first half, hit the interval with a 1-3 to 0-3 lead thanks in part to Eoghan Lyons' goal from a penalty, and looked like they might grab the win.
Greg Kelly's second two-pointer of the second half, which came in the 49th minute, left the young Lilywhites five points up at that stage, 1-11 to 0-9.
But they were powerless to prevent a Connell Kelly led Louth from reeling off a series of late scores to turn the game on its head.
Back-to-back Kelly points and another from Rian McDonnell left just two in it and when the same pair then combined for Louth's goal, McDonnell picking out Kelly, Louth led for the very first time.
They pushed on with scores from Cillian Duff and Conor Marron to eke out a significant win that propels them through as group winners.
Behind them in Group 1, Kildare have advanced to the quarter-finals while Meath's big win over Laois kept their interest alive in the competition with a preliminary quarter-final place against Wicklow for the Royals.
Meath, who finished third in the table, were too strong for Laois with four first-half goals easing them 4-12 to 0-4 ahead at half time.
Conn Brennan and Cormac Walsh were among the first half goal scorers and there were two more majors after the break from Thomas McKeever and Walsh.
With a game still to be played in Group 2 - holders Offaly will play joint group leaders Westmeath next week - nothing is decided yet.
But Dublin, now joint top with Westmeath, made a strong statement with their four-goal win over hosts Longford.
Mo Salami netted twice for Dublin who were 2-5 to 1-7 up at half time. Andy McDonnell and Bobby Doyle raised the other green flags for the Dubs.
In Group 3, which still has one outstanding game also, Wicklow's big win over Kilkenny means they have progressed to the preliminary quarter-finals as table toppers.
Fionn Kennedy and Nicky Sinnott registered two goals each for Wicklow while Callum Jordan Dempsey got in on the goal-scoring too.
Carlow and Wexford will duke it out on Thursday evening to see who finishes second in the table and who grabs the remaining preliminary quarter-final spot on offer.
