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Leinster Shield: South Down 1-9 Louth 2-12

South Down hurlers let one hand slip off their Leinster Shield title when they were well beaten by Louth at Ballela on Sunday. The Mourne men lacked the physical strength of their southern neighbours and although the teams were level going into the last quarter, Louth finished the game fitter and faster on a hot afternoon.

The home team played well in the first half. John O’Kane scored three points from frees and his Warrenpoint club mate, Alan Higgins, converted another free. Artie McGuinness added a point from play and his brother Eoin recorded the finest score of the half when he worked hard to beat several defenders and send the ball to the Louth net.

But the danger signs were already there for South Down. The Louth midfield were on top and when they ran at the home defence, their physical strength and pace proved hard to combat.

The teams were level at 1-5 each at half time. It was level pegging in the third quarter. Two O’Kane points – one from play and one from a free - kept the teams level at 1-7 each. But then in a five minute spell Louth scored 1-3 without reply and with ten minutes to go, South Down were in difficulty.

Point from Eoin McGuinness (50 mins) and John Murphy (53 mins) did little to counter Louth’s dominance and the home side were well beaten before the final whistle.

This defeat was hardly surprising. Louth were recently crowned National Hurling League Division 3 champions. South Down lost the Division 4 final. The gap in strength and speed between the two divisions was obvious. But South Down’s problems went deeper than the divisional difference.

Their pattern of play was ragged at times and not enough players showed the leadership which will be required to beat teams of Louth’s standard in the all-Ireland Nicky Rackard Cup starting next month.

In the meantime the Leinster Shield goes on. With a home match against Wicklow and away matches in Longford and Warwickshire to come in the next four weeks, the Mourne men have a lot of work to do if they are to retain their Shield title and get into a winning frame of mind for their first tilt at an all-Ireland championship and a possible Croke Park final.

South Down: Damien Kearns, James McGrath, Brian McAleenan, Paul McCusker, Gary Courtney, Daniel McCusker, Alan Higgins (0-1 free), Daniel Doran, John Murphy (0-1), Artie McGuinness (0-1), Colm O’Neill, John O’Kane (0-5, 0-4 frees) Eoin McGuinness (1-1), David McGovern, Michael Murphy.

Sub: Ronan Mulligan for McGovern (57 mins).