Louth are off the mark in Division 2 with a three-point finishing flurry over pointless Cork at DEFY Páirc Mhuire.
There is a bit of a rivalry forming between the two counties with the recent meeting the sixth time in as many seasons they have locked horns.
Significantly, Louth have won two of those half dozen matches at home in Ardee.
The game was up for grabs at the end of the opening half with the hosts trailing three before Ciaran Downey and Ciarán 'Kiki' Keenan fired home two goals in two minutes.
That left Louth ahead at the break and the wind at their back for the second half.
Cork were familiar with their surroundings after a losing trip to the same venue last season.
In that loss, Brian Hurley was absent. That was a significant factor that day and his early black card was another piece of familiarity the travelling side adapted to.
Despite the Castlehaven man’s omission, Cork worked themselves into a 0-06 to 0-03 lead Hurley coming back into the fray he kicked the sixth point himself.
At that stage John Cleary’s side were using the wind to their advantage, perhaps learning from the Ballybofey gales the week before.
Louth knuckled down, Sam Mulroy tagging on a few frees, another full forward who didn’t play the corresponding fixture a year ago.
Staying in the game Louth stunned Cork with a two-goal punch, running right down the heart of the Leesiders defence to make it 2-04 to 0-09 at the turn.
With the tension and desire for league points building, the scoring rate dropped and both sides were on an even keel four times in the second period.
Eoghan McSweeney and the excellent Chris Óg Jones looked to have done enough the visitors until Ger Brennan’s side rallied.
Louth finished strongly the week previously with nothing to show for it and this week they made sure to come through with something.
Craig Lennon levelled and Ryan Burnsey countered to poke Louth’s noses in front.
Mulroy then made amends for last week’s miss to level with a kick with authority in front of his own supporters on the bank to seal the win.
LOUTH: Niall McDonnell; Dermot Campbell, Peter Lynch, Donal McKenny; Ciarán Murphy, Anthony Williams, Craig Lennon (0-02); Conor Early, Tommy Durnin; Paul Mathews (0-01), Ciarán Keenan (1-00), Conor Grimes; Ryan Burns (0-01), Sam Mulroy (0-05, 0-04f, 0-01'45), Ciarán Downey (1-00).
Subs: Conall McCaul for Mathews (50), Leonard Grey for Campbell (58), Conall McKeever for Murphy (58),Dylan McKeown for Burns (62), Wayne Campbell for Keenan (65)
CORK: Patrick Doyle (0-01, 0-01'45; Maurice Shanley, Daniel O'Mahony, Tommy Walsh (0-01); Luke Fahy, Seán Meehan, Mattie Taylor; Ian Maguire (0-01), Colm O’Callaghan (0-01); Eoghan McSweeney (0-02), Ruairí Deane, Brian O’Driscoll; Chris Óg Jones (0-02), Brian Hurley (0-04, 0-03f), Mark Cronin (0-01, 0-01f).
Subs: Darragh Cashman for Fahy (HT), Steven Sherlock for Hurley (56), Rory Maguire for Meehan (56), David Buckley for Deane (59), Blake Murphy for Óg Jones (69)
REFEREE: Martin McNally (Monaghan).
