Allianz Football League Division Two

Louth 6-17 Fermanagh 0-11

By Dan Bannon at DEFY Páirc Mhuire

Louth hit Fermanagh for six at home in DEFY Páirc Mhuire to overtake the visitors on the Allianz Division Two table.

Sam Mulroy landed two in the first half along with corner back Peter Lynch and Conor Grimes while Ciarán Downey and Tom Jackson wrapped up the one sided affair with two in the second period.

Despite the result, both sides have their status still to play for next weekend in the final weekend of league action.

It took Fermanagh nearly a quarter of an hour to register their first score. In the meantime, Louth built up a substantial six point lead.

Mulroy finally netted with a long range shot into an open goal early on.

Kieran Donnnelly’s side responded well through Ultan Kelm and Garvan Jones initially, but they well and truly pressed the self-destruct button when Peter Lynch got forward to palm home at the back stick.

It got worse for the Ernesiders when they aggressively pressed on Louth’s restart. The ball went through midfielder Tommy Durnin and Mulroy nailed his second, Louth’s third.

Jones and Seán Cassidy tried in vain to keep a float but Conor Grimes smashed the game beyond Fermanagh on the stroke of half time to make it 4-6 to 0-6.

Louth oozed confidence and controlled the play entirely from the resumption. Grimes landed two quick scores in a punishing third quarter for the travellers.

Ciarán Downey returned from suspension and played a huge part in orchestrating Ger Brennan’s side's fine second period. Downey nailed the fifth and from that kick out, Ardee St. Mary’s Tom Jackson drilled home the sixth on home soil.

Fermanagh will travel to Cavan next weekend, while Louth with safety now in their own hands will take on Kildare in Carlow.

Scorers for Louth: Sam Mulroy 2-5 (2fs), Ciarán Downey 1-3, Conor Grimes 1-2, Peter Lynch 1-1, Tom Jackson 1-0, Ciarán Keenan 0-3, Ryan Burns, Tommy Durnin and Dermot Campbell 0-1 each.

Scorers for Fermanagh: Garvan Jones (3fs) and Seán Cassidy (1f) 0-3 each, Diarmuid King, Shane McGullion, Ultan Kelm, Fionan O’Brien and Declan McCusker 0-1 each.

Louth: Niall McDonnell; Peter Lynch, Dermot Campbell, Donal McKenny; Leonard Grey, Anthony Williams, Conall McKeever; Tommy Durnin, Ciarán Downey; Conor Grimes, Sam Mulroy, Ciarán Murphy; Ryan Burns, Ciarán Keenan, Tom Jackson.

Subs: Liam Jackson for T Jackson (51) Dan Corcoran for McKenny (51) Wayne Campbell for Murphy (59), Jay Hughes for Burns (63), Niall Sharkey for Grey (66).

Fermanagh: Ross Bogue; Lee Cullen, Ché Cullen, Oisín Smyth; Declan McCusker, Shane McGullion, Ronan McCaffrey; Brandon Horan, Joe McDade; Conor McGee, Conor McShea, Josh Largo Elis; Ultan Kelm, Garvan Jones, Seán Cassidy.

Subs: Fionan O’Brien for Largo Ellis (HT), Diarmuid King for McCaffrey (44), James McMahon for McCusker (51) Conor Love for Jones (51) Jonathan Cassidy for Smyth (68).

Referee: Seán Hurson (Tyrone).