Sam Mulroy front and centre in Louth's impressive goal rush

Across their six championship matches Louth have created 23 clear goalscoring chances, just under four per game on average. Scoring 12 of them – just over half. That's two less than Dublin's championship total of 14 goals, five ahead of next best Galway, giving them an impressive average of two goals per game. Which is a rate maintained throughout the season.

For a team who play so largely through the hands Louth are anything but conservative in possession. They attack with intensity and commit large numbers to support and get ahead of the ball carrier into the gaps between the definitive lines.

Ger Brennan has his team attacking the scoring zone hard, often taking a risk with the final pass and breaking lines. All despite the risk of turnovers in such congested areas wherein they invite the press, something which they were heavily punished for against Kerry.

The Wee County come into this encounter off the back of eight goals in their last four games, wherein they faced both of last year's All-Ireland finalists, and they've raised green flags in 10 of their 13 games in 2024. Last time out against the Kingdom however they produced four clear goal chances – taking only one. Without goals their championship points average of just over 0-11 per game isn't enough to beat the top counties.

They scored two out of three chances against Monaghan, three of five against Meath, two from two against Dublin, and failed to convert any of three clear chances against Kildare after scoring four of six against Wexford.

Playing every minute of their 13 games in 2024 has been the championship's second top scorer, Mulroy. And when it comes to goals he's top of the charts. Although his seven goals across league and championship has been matched by O'Callaghan, and when taking the Tailteann Cup into account, Leitrim's Ryan O'Rourke is on the same number, as well as Antrim's Ruairí McCann who is also in action this afternoon against Laois.

So Mulroy has more than a 50% chance of scoring a goal against Cork based off his form so far in 2024. In the championship alone he's got three so far, two of them penalties. With Craig Lennon joining Con O'Callaghan on four.

Like moths around the scoring zone, either Lennon or Mulroy have had a hand in almost all of Louth's goal chances so far this summer, and they are two of a total nine goalscorers for their county thus far in 2024.

O'Rourke meanwhile has been in brilliant form for Antrim ahead of their Tailteann Cup semi-final, scoring seven of their 16 goals in 2024. While McCann converted seven of Leitrim's 10 goals over the entire season.

The top goalscoring defender has been Derry's Conor McCluskey raising four green flags, while Down's Odhran Murdock has the most from midfield with five goals ahead of the other semi-final between them and Sligo in Croke Park.

Louth's opponent's in Inniskeen have also been among the goals of late. Only Galway, Louth and Dublin have scored more goals than Cork in this All-Ireland championship. Their eight is followed by Armagh on seven and Donegal on six, while Derry have only two after scoring more than anyone else during the league. Leaving them bottom of the pile for the teams left in the running for Sam Maguire.

At the other end of the field, after their forgettable league campaign, only Galway have conceded fewer goals than a much-improved Cork of the remaining sides in this year's Championship. The Tribesmen conceded a first goal in their draw against Armagh last weekend, while Cork, Dublin and Armagh have all let in just two.

Cork however already conceded as many during their league defeat to Louth in February, so they won't be one bit surprised by their relentless pursuit and rate of scoring goals.

Will they have an answer this time around though or could Louth go into the final eight with the most goals and top goalscorer?