Louth delivered the goods in extra time to overcome Offaly’s challenge by 0-27 to 2-15 and advance to their first Leinster senior football championship final since 2010.

Anton Sullivan’s late point had denied Mickey Harte’s men the win it normal time, with the scoreboard reading 0-17 to 1-14, as it headed into the extra periods at Croke Park.

In normal time, Louth had been 0-8 to 0-5 to the good when Peter Cunningham netted the Faithful men’s first goal on 28 minutes and it would see the sides go eventually go in level at half-time.

Offaly hit the front after the turnaround with points from Cian Farrell and Ruairi McNamee but Harte’s charges got motoring again as scores via Conor Early, Tommy Durnin and Ciaran Downey (2) put some daylight between the sides.

Farrell (free) and Dylan Hyland (2) kept the trailers in the hunt and Sullivan would square it in the fourth minute of injury-time with a superb point.

Ryan Burns was introduced at the start of extra time as Louth upped it a gear and scores from Sam Mulroy (3) and Conor Grimes (2) would see them in the driving seat at half-time (0-23 to 1-15) – and indeed the rest of the contest as Declan Hogan’s goal in the second period proved mere consolation for the Faithful County.

All over @statsports l @OfficialBSM_1 #BackedByBlackstone l #LúAbú pic.twitter.com/sW0zI8nK5v

— Louth GAA (@louthgaa) April 30, 2023

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