Louth will be playing Division Four football next season after yesterday’s 2-13 to 2-11 defeat to Limerick in Drogheda consigned them to a second successive relegation.
The result, which kept the visitors up, meant Colin Kelly’s side had to rely on results elsewhere going their way but respective victories for Sligo over Armagh and Clare over Fermanagh meant there was to be no reprieve.
Trailing by 0-8 to 0-7 at the break, Louth briefly went ahead on the restart courtesy of points from Derek Crilly and Ryan Burns. However, a Peter Nash goal in the 41st minute, followed up with a number of Ian Ryan frees meant that Limerick led by three by the time Louth had Kevin Toner sent off for an off the ball incident in the 55th minute.
The visitors then added another point before Pa Ranahan drilled to the net on 57 minutes to leave it 2-12 to 0-11.
Louth did at least ensure a tense finale with late goals from Burns and Conor Grimes but it was too little, too late for the Wee County.
Louth: N Gallagher; K Toner, P Reilly, P Rath; A Williams, D Finnegan, J Stewart; B Duffy, E O’Connor 0-1; A Reid, C Judge 0-3, 1f, D Byrne; R Burns 1-4, 3f, D Crilly 0-2, D Maguire 0-1. Subs: C Grimes 1-0 for J Stewart 30; R Moore for D Byrne 53, S O’Hanlon for D Crilly 56, D O’Connor for E O’Connor 58.
