Derry 3-18  Louth 1-11

Louth are bound for the revamped Division Three next season after succumbing to an on-form Derry side, who ran out comfortable 3-18 to 1-11 winners at Celtic Park.

With Galway beating Down, Derry missed out on a Division One semi-final place but they can still be satisfied with a stylish end to their NFL campaign.

Goals from Enda Muldoon (10 minutes) and Mark Lynch (20) had Derry leading by 2-06 to 0-05 at half-time.

A low-struck goal from Aaron Hoey cut the deficit for Louth to 2-13 to 1-11, but Paddy Bradley, who top-scored with 0-09, and Muldoon, who flashed home a late second goal, eased Derry home.

In sunny conditions, Derry started at breakneck speed with James Conway and Paddy Bradley both pointing and then in the tenth-minute, statuesque forward Muldoon fisted home his first goal after an excellent three-man move.

Darren Clarke belatedly opened Louths account in the 16th-minute with a pin-point score from 35 yards out.

But Derry strengthened their grip on the two league points when a dashing run from Joe Keenan, who soloed clean through, ended with the unmarked Lynch bulging the Leinster side's net.

Derry were two goals clear by the 24th-minute - 2-03 to 0-03 ahead - and ended the half with five of their six starting forwards having scored - centre-forward Conleth Gilligan being the odd man out.

Paul Bradley and Martin Farrelly, who was introduced to good effect by Louth boss Eamonn McEneaney, traded early points before Gilligan ended his barren spell in front of goal.

Derry continued to set the pace with Paul and Paddy Bradley and Conway firing over further points, which Ray Finnegan and Hoey, who had a shot deflected over by Kevin McCloy, managed to reply to.

Louth's chances of avoiding the drop took an upturn when Hoey thundered his shot to the net and points followed from the boots of Mark Stanfield and Hoey himself.

That scoring burst got the Wee County back to within five points at 2-13 to 1-11 down, but the visitors simply fell apart after that, allowing Derry to chalk up 1-5 without reply.

Muldoon's goal was the icing on the cake for the Oak Leafers who will be contesting the Division One title next year.