Louth Ladies will take on Longford in the second round of the TG4 Leinster Intermediate Championship at the Kenagh GAA ground in Longford on Tuesday.
The game, which has a throw-in time of 7.30pm, comes on the back of the county side’s 5-9 to 4-10 victory away to Offaly in Ballycumber on Saturday. The three sides are in a group where the top two go into the last four with Saturday’s win giving Louth a great chance of doing so.
Paula Murray was the star player for John O’Leary and Fergal McNally’s side as she scored four goals on the day.
She and Kate Flood accounted for all bar one point of the Wee County’s final tally as Louth gave themselves a great chance of progressing to the semi-finals next month.
The sides were level at 0-3 apiece when Murray scored the first of her four goals midway through the first half. Offaly did manage to respond with a goal of their own but from the kick-out the visitors broke down field where Murray found the net yet again to leave it 2-3 to 1-3.
After Flood added a point, Murray then completed her hat-trick on 25 minutes to leave it 3-4 to 1-3.
Offaly did manage to pull a goal and a point back to cut the deficit back to three points at the break but a good start to the second half from the visitors, including another goal from Flood on 38 minutes, ensured Louth led by 4-6 to 2-4.
The Faithful County, who play a tier above Louth in Division Three, refused to throw in the towel and managed to get back level at 4-6 apiece following two goals and two points without reply.
However, a fourth goal from Murray as well as another point each from her and Flood gave Louth some breathing space at 5-8 to 4-6. Offaly continued to push for a way back into the game but the visitors held out for a superb win in the end.
LOUTH LADIES: Una Pearson, Michelle McArdle, Dearbhla O’Connor, Ruth Hanna, Abbi O’Connor, Ciara Nolan, Ciara O’Connor, Aoife Byrne, Rebecca Carr, Paula Murray (4-1), Kate Flood (1-7), Sinead Woods (0-1), Eimear Byrne, Catherine McGlew, Susan Byrne. Subs: Roisin Kavanagh for C McGlew; Sarah Moore for E Byrne.