Gilroy’s men blitz Louth

DUBLIN 2-22 LOUTH 0-12

Bernard Brogan may have missed the entire league campaign but he showed his eye for scores is not far of it’s optimum as Dubs strolled toa 16-point victory over Louth in Sunday’s Leinster SFC quarter-final at Croke Park.
Brogan finished with 2-5 (0-1f) as Dublin’s hit the turbos in the concluding five minutes of the opening half to leave the Wee County in their slipstream and set up a provincial semi-final meeting on Sunday, July 1 (in Croke Park) against Longford or Wexford (who drew on Sunday).

The Dubs held the upperhand from the first whistle and should have led by more than 0-9 to 0-3 after the opening 30 minutes. However, it all fell into place in the last five minutes of the opening half as they carved open the Louth defence for Bernard Brogan to raise green flags.

His brother Alan placed him with a superb ball for the first in the 30th minute following a barnstorming run out of defence from Kevin McManamon and just before the break Bernard finished to the net from five metres after Diarmuid Connolly’s initial effort was saved by goalkeeper Neil Gallagher and Padraig Rath saved the initial rebound from Bernard.

So all of a sudden the Dubs were headed back to the dressingrooom 2-11 to 0-3 to the good and their spot in the provincial semi-final effectively booked.

It wasn’t until the 45th minute that Louth registered their first score from play when Paddy Keenan drove through the middle to slot a fine score – by that stage Pat Gilroy’s side were 2-14 to 0-6 ahead.

Dublin created further goal-scoring chances but Kevin McMananon’s effort at the Hill end when narrowly wide and Diarmuid Connolly hit the butt of the upright in the 61st minute.

It mattered little as Dublin marched on to a clash with the winners of the quarter-final replay of Longford and Wexford.

SCORERS – Dublin: B Brogan 2-5 (0-1f), D Connolly, K McManamon 0-3 each, B Cullen, A Brogan, P Flynn, C Dias, S Cluxton (0-2 ‘45’) 0-2 each, D Bastick 0-1. Louth: D Clarke 0-8 (0-7f, 0-1 sline), R Finnegan, P Keenan, A Reidn, JP Rooney 0-1 each.
DUBLIN: S Cluxton; P McMahon, R O’Carroll, M Fitzsimons; J McCarthy, G Brennan, K Nolan; E Fennell, D Bastick; P Flynn, K McManamon, B Cullen; D Connolly, A Brogan, B Brogan.Subs: C Dias for Cullen (36), E O’Gara for Flynn (50), R McConnell for Fennell (58), J Cooper for McMahon (58), P Casey for Brennan (64).
LOUTH: N Gallagher; P Rath, J Carr, D Finnegan; R Finnegan, G Hoey, D Byrne; P Keenan, R Carroll; D Crilly, M Brennan, A Reid; D Maguire, J McEnaney, D Clarke. Subs: R Greene for D Finnegan (36), A McDonnell for McEnaney (36), L Shevlin for Carr (54), JP Rooney for Brennan (54).
REF: E Kinsella (Laois).
ATTENDANCE: 31,530.