Louth staged an excellent second-half comeback to leave Pearse Stadium with a share of the spoils after Galway failed to live up to a lively early display.
Galway kicked just two points in the second half and were lucky to escape with a draw as Louth had ample chances to take the win.
Andy McDonnell’s goal-bound shot rebounded back off his own man in the 70th minute and Paddy Keenan missed two late 45s that would have clinched an unlikely win for the Wee County
The Tribesmen held a 1-5 to 0-2 lead in the 20th minute when Danny Cummins goaled after collecting a rebound off the post, but after building on that lead with four points on the bounce, Alan Mulholland’s side disappeared from contention altogether.
The lively Darren Clarke had gotten Louth off to a good start with a first-minute point and it wasn’t until the ninth minute that Michael Martin got the Tribesmen off the mark with a free from the right.
But five minute later Cummins was on hand when Paul Conroy’s point attempt hit the post, and the young Claregalway clubman fired past Neil Gallagher into the roof of the net.
Cummins added a neat score on the turn which launched four points in a row for Galway as they threatened to steamroll Louth into submission.
However, five points in eight minutes from Peter Fitzpatrick’s side saw them trail narrowly by 1-6 to 0-7 at the break.
After Keenan wasted a great goal chance in the 37th minute, points from Andy McDonnell and Adrian Reid drew Louth level midway through the half and it looked as if Louth had the wherewithal to push on to the win.
But Paul Conroy gave Galway the lead once again after a trademark powerful run up the centre followed some excellent work out the field by Johnny Duane.
Fitzpatrick emptied his bench in the second-half and one of those changes, Eoin O’Connor, was barely on the pitch when he tapped over the bar to draw Louth level for the third time 14 minutes from time.
One of Galway’s strongest performers, Garreth Bradshaw, showed Galway supporters what he was made from with a great point on the run seven minutes from time, but Jim McEneaney levelled from an acute angle to seal the point for the Leinster men.
Galway: D Cummins (1-1); M Martin (0-2, 1f); G Bradshaw (0-2); N Joyce (0-1); T Flynn (0-1); P Conroy (0-1).
Louth: D Clarke (0-3, 1f); P Keenan (0-1); D Crilly (0-1); R Carroll (0-1); M Brennan (0-1); A Reid (0-1); J McEneaney (0-1); A McDonnell (0-1); E O’Connor (0-1)
Galway: A Faherty; C Forde, F Hanley, K Kelly; G Bradshaw, J Duane, G O’Donnell; T Flynn, F Ó Curraoin; G Sice, P Conroy, M Hehir; M Martin, N Joyce, D Cummins.
Subs: C Bane for Conroy, 52; C Doherty for Hehir, 52; s Maughan for Martin, 59;
Louth: N Gallagher; P Rath, D Finnegan, G Hoey; R Finnegan, J Carr, L Shevlin; P Keenan, B Donnelly; D Crilly, R Carroll, A Reid; M Brennan, A McDonnell, D Clarke.
Subs: JP Rooney for Clarke, 52; E O’Connor for Reid, 52; D Byrne for D Finnegan, 62; J McEneaney for Brennan, 63; A Hoey for Carroll, 65.
Referee: Derek Fahy (Longford).
