Captain Sam Mulroy stamped his class as Louth opened their first defence of the Leinster SFC since 1958 with Sunday's thumping quarter-final victory over Wexford at Netwatch Cullen Park.
Outside of a bright start from the challengers, Louth controlled matters, with a couple of late first-half two-pointers swelling their interval advantage to 0-14 to 0-05, before Mulroy’s 46th-minute penalty put the outcome beyond doubt (1-18 to 0-05).
Louth reaped the rewards of their control around midfield as they eased in nicely for a semi-final joust with Dublin or Wicklow.
Wexford encouraged in the early stages, landing the opening three points without reply in a productive first six minutes.
The purple and gold’s rearguard was distinguishing itself during this spell as they equalled various Louth efforts to secure a breakthrough.
Mark Rossiter lofted Wexford onto the scoresheet in style, with a two-pointer free after three minutes, before Tom Byrne nudged them three clear after an assist from Liam Coleman.
But Louth full-forward Conall McCaul was showing glimpses of his potential, and he pegged it back to 0-03 to 0-01.
Captain Sam Mulroy burst through with increasing danger moments later only for the goal threat to eventually peter out and culminate in midfielder Conor Early shaving the gap to 0-03 to 0-02 after eleven minutes.
Mark Rossiter sparked back to double Wexford’s advantage, but Louth had found their rhythm by now and began to boss matters.
Indeed, they kept Wexford at bay while shooting six unanswered points between the eighteenth and 29th minutes to transform matters by 0-08 to 0-04.
Two additions from McCaul sandwiched another let off for the Wexford goal – Louth defender Donal McKenny going close from a Mulroy line-ball – before Dara McDonnell, Mulroy (free), Paul Matthews and Ciarán Keenan drove open a double-scores margin.
Wexford lifted the siege for Cathal Kehoe to end their scoring impasse after 33 minutes.
But Louth finished the half with a crescendo of points – singles from McDonnell and Keenan, before the latter and Mulroy added two quick-fire two-pointers, to drive open a sizable gap at the break (0-14 to 0-5).
Both sides were forced onto a couple of personnel changes for the new half, and one of Louth’s, Tadhg McDonnell, certainly made an instant impact with the first two scores of the second-half to extend the gap to 0-16 to 0-05.
Conor Early immediately tagged on a two-pointer, while Wexford’s troubles were added to when Louth substitute Ryan Burns forced a 46th minute penalty slammed home by 1-18 to 0-05.
The Wee County almost instantly added a second goal only for a goal-line clearance by Wexford defender Dylan Furlong from Conal McKeever.
Spirited Wexford struck a bright spell between the 48th and 58th minutes when closing to within 1-19 to 0-10 chiefly through Mark Rossiter (four) while sub Michael Kinsella also chipped in.
Remarkably the most deafening cheer of the game erupted soon after as Louth supporters received news of arch rival Meath’s loss to Westmeath.
Meanwhile, substitute Ciarán Downey went close to ballooning Louth’s margin of victory only for his powerful 67th minute drive to shave the crossbar on its way over, and McDonnell, Mulroy (free) and Burns put the ribbons on the title-holders solid opening defence.
Louth: Niall McDonnell; Daire Nally, Emmet Carolan, Dermot Campbell; Conal McKeever, Dara McDonnell (0-03), Donal McKenny; Tommy Durnin, Conor Early (0-03, 1 tp); Paul Matthews (0-01), Sam Mulroy (1-4, 0-2 frees, 1 tp, 1-00 penalty), Conor Grimes; Ciarán Keenan (0-04, 1 tp), Conall McCaul (0-3), Kieran McArdle.
Subs: Tadhg McDonnell (0-04) for Campbell (HT), Ryan Burns (0-01) for Grimes (HT), Seán Callaghan for Durnin (41), Ciarán Downey (0-01) for McArdle (46), Seán Reynolds (0-01) for Keenan (61).
Wexford: William Gaul; Liam O’Connor, Gavin Sheehan, Eoin Porter; Shane Doyle, Eoghan Nolan, Dylan Furlong; Liam Coleman, Cathal Kehoe (0-01); Páraic Hughes, Glen Malone, Mark Rossiter (0-07, 1 tpf, 3 frees); Tom Byrne (0-01), Niall Hughes, Seán Ryan.
Subs: Seán Barden for Sheehan (HT), Michael Kinsella (0-02) for Ryan (HT), Robbie Brooks for Byrne (50), Ben Brosnan for Doyle (58), Darragh Lyons for Coleman (69).
Referee: Martin McNally (Monaghan).
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