UNDER 21 FOOTBALLERS Ben Rogan gets the better of Dublin's Luke Fletcher
SECONDBEST TEAM IN THE PROVINCE Louth’s U21 footballers were nothing short of sensational in 2012. The Wednesday Night Crew qualified for a first Leinster final in this grade since 1996 with thrilling victories over Longford and then Offaly after a facile opening-round annihilation of hapless Kilkenny. For Colin Kelly and his charges, it’s certainly a campaign they can look back upon with tremendous pride.
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he Wee County U21s played four times in 2012 and they were underdogs on all but one occasion. The only time they were actually fancied to win, they romped to a crushing 6-34 to 0-2 victory over Kilkenny at Freshford. Otherwise, they were outsiders against Longford, Offaly and Dublin. Eventually, they came unstuck at the provincial final stage – against an exceptionally-gifted combination from the capital – but it had been a wonderful effort and the Reds came closer to a first Leinster crown in 31 years than the final scoreline of 116 to 0-8 suggests. Alas, as 7/1 outsiders, they couldn’t quite keep apace with Jim Gavin’s top-quality side… The Kilkenny game took place on Leap Day
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(Wednesday, February 29th) and the Wee County were never in any trouble as they chalked up a massive 1-21 before the short whistle. In the end, they had 50 points to spare. O’Raghallaighs clubman Ruairi Moore struck the opening goal in the tenth minute and the floodgates opened before the end with Barry Hamilton (Geraldines), Eamonn O’Neill (St Mochtas), Derek Kierans (St Nicholas), Cathal Bellew (Kilkerley) and Ben Rogan (O’Raghallaighs) all finding the net as the manager emptied his bench. Louth, Leinster U21 FC V Kilkenny: Joseph Flanagan; Ciaran Murray, Dermot Campbell; Tiernan Hand; Mark Neary, Paddy Reilly, Eoghan Duffy (0-1); Eoin O'Connor (0-3), Shane O'Hanlon (0-4); Ruairi Moore (1-1), Cathal Bellew