Cork U20s hit for five as Louth triumph in football challenge

Cork U20 0-12 (0-1-10)

Louth U20 5-14 (5-2-10)

Cork’s U20 footballers suffered a humiliating defeat at home to Louth U20s on Sunday afternoon in what was the current raiser for the Senior Allianz Football League clash between the two counties.

The visitors bagged five goals across the hour to finish 17-point winners in SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

A worrying result with hardly any positives to take from it – and the timing isn’t great either.

Ray O’Mahony’s side would have hoped for a better performance at this stage, with their championship campaign commencing in only a couple of weeks’ time when they take on the Phase 1 winner in the Munster U20 Football Championship.

Louth were much slicker and far better in every aspect. Last year’s beaten Leinster finalists were here to win and Cork were completely torn apart.

The first goal arrived inside two minutes, a slick move and a simple finish from Conor McCriosta. Five minutes later they had another goal, centre-back Cormac McKeown slipped through with ease and powered into the net.

At that stage it was 2-1 to 0-2, Cork’s only score coming from Bryan Hayes’ two-point effort. Scores from Dara Sheedy and Aaron O’Sullivan followed as the Rebels looked to get going after the early setback, but their opponents quickly regained control.

They hit a total of 0-5 unanswered, stretching the gap from three points to eight by the 18th minute.

Cork remained competitive another 10 minutes, Trevor Kiely doing well at the back with Edward Myers their most potent scoring threat.

Dara Sheedy, Cork U20, shoots as Keelan Martin, Louth U20 looks to block. Picture: Jim Coughlan.

By the 25th minute they remained seven behind, but a couple more Louth majors arrived on the brink of half time, ultimately sealing the result after one half of football.

A beautifully structured move saw Tony McDonnell pass to Shane Lennon, who played a quick one-two with McKeown. Lennon danced around the Cork defence and curled one brilliantly into the far corner in the 27th minute.

Less than 60 seconds later they had the ball in the net again – James Maguire linking up with Tony McDonnell, who provided Adam Gillespie with the assist, 0-7 to 4-8.

The second half saw far fewer scores, Louth managed 1-6 with a sublime two-pointer from Pierce Grimes Murphy and the last goal from Maguire, as he palmed one in at the 44 minute mark.

Odhran Foley, Cork U20 tries to tackle Pierce Grimes Murphy, Louth U20. Picture: Jim Coughlan.

The hosts managed a total of four points, the best of those efforts belonging to Dylan O’Neill at conclusion, with his strike leaving it 0-12 to 5-14.

Challenge games are hardly a real indicator – but given how easily Cork were brushed aside two weeks out from championship, it doesn’t paint a pretty picture.

Scorers for Cork: D Miskella, E Myers (1 f) 0-3 each, A O’Sullivan, B Hayes (1 tpt) 0-2 each, D O’Neill, D Sheedy 0-1 each.

Louth: A Gillespie (1 f), J Maguire 1-2 each, C MacCriosta, C McKeown, S Lennon 1-0 each, D Dorian, Tony McDonnell (1 f, 1 tptf) 0-3 each, Tadhg McDonnell, P Grimes Murphy (1 tpt) 0-2 each.

CORK: B Curtin (Valley Rovers); N O’Shea (Urhan), F Hurley (O’Donovan Rossa), C Molloy (Nemo Rangers); T Kiely (Mallow), O Foley (Bishopstown), S O’Leary (Kilmurry); M Woods (Valley Rovers), C Gillespie (Aghabullogue); G Kearney (Kinsale), D Miskella (Ballincollig), A O’Sullivan (Aghabullogue); D Sheedy (Bantry Blues), E Myers (Naomh Abán), B Hayes (Nemo Rangers).

Subs used: D O’Neill (Carbery Rangers), D Clifford (Éire Óg), N O’Shea (Nemo Rangers), M Maguire (Castlehaven), T Cullinane (Carbery Rangers), A O’Connell (Kilshannig), T O’Keeffe (St Finbarr’s), D Harrington (Clonakilty), D Gough (Clonakilty) L Dwan Fogarty (Douglas), J Woods (Valley Rovers).

LOUTH: C O’Donoghue, M Reid, K Martin, P Tinnelly; Tony McDonnell, C McKeown, S Lennon; J Maguire, S Callaghan; C McGinty, C McCriosta, P Grimes Murphy, A Gillespie, T McDonnell, D Dorian.

Subs used: D Craven, D Shevlin, J McGlew, R Deery S Lennon, R Kelly, DD Reilly, S Flynn, Tadhg McDonnell, T McNamara.

Referee: Ciaran Murphy (Glanworth)

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