MISSED chances, a sendingoff, extra-time, some dreadful shooting by the winners; there was no shortage of drama in St Brigid's Park, Dundalk on Saturday as Dublin eventually booked a place in the semi-final with victory over Louth.

It was a heart-breaking defeat for the home team who led by two points with a minute of normal time remaining.

However, with an extra man they have only themselves to blame for failing to close out the game, allowing wing-back John Cooper up the field for the equalising point in added time.

Whereas Louth had a landslide win over Wexford behind them in the first round, this was the Dubs' first outing and it showed. They enjoyed lots of possession but accuracy in front of the posts was a long way off as a wides' tally of 21 clearly illustrates.

The way the tie finished, the visitors were always going to be favourites in the extra twenty minutes as they were restored to fifteen following the straight red card issued to Dara Nelson early in the second half.

Louth midfielder James Califf opened the scoring with a well-struck third minute free, though it soon became obvious that his colleagues in defence were in for a busy afternoon.

A slick move involving Dean Rock and Eoin Murray ended with Derek Murray shooting wide off the butt of an upright as the backs were left exposed.

That early scare wasn't heeded as in the sixth minute Eoin Murray was afforded ample time as he cut in from the right to send an inviting ball across the face of the target for Rock to box to the net.

The Reds replied positively with a Niall Conlon point which was pushed over the bar by a defender and a Jim McEneaney score to bring the sides level, but all the time Dublin were wasting good chances, Rock the guilty party on most occasions from freekicks.

It wasn't until the 21st minute that Dublin registered again, Sweeney fisting over from a pass by his team's best player, Cooper.

Although Liam Shevlin and James Craven were faring reasonably well in the half-back line, the Louth full-backs were struggling and almost paid the penalty when Lorcan Siwale had plenty of time to send a ball over to Rock who knocked it wide of the target.

A Barry O'Rorke point opened a gap of two, yet the hosts were delighted to only go in trailing by the minimum following a Califf '45' in injurytime (1-2 to 0-4).

Shortly after the re-start Nelson left McEneaney stretched on the ground offthe-ball and, having consulted with a linesman, referee Fergal Kelly sent the Ballyboden St Enda's man to the line.

A Rock free was just what the Metropolitans needed at that stage, but Kieran Maguire's 'Wee County' outfit seized the opportunity presented to them when McEneaney gathered a Califf free to turn and shoot Louth into a 1-4 to 1-3 lead with a low shot to the net in the 42nd minute.

When the same player sent over a free at the three-quarter mark which was added to by Califf from a placed ball, the sizable home support began to sense a famous victory.

Frustratingly, McEneaney passed up a couple of chances before Gavin McIntyre reduced the gap to two points and then Cooper closed it further.

Although McEneaney missed a scoreable free as the clock wound down, Louth substitute Barry O'Hare soon made it 1-7 to 1-5 in the 59th minute.

A Rock point on the hour mark looked to have arrived too late, but there was still time for Dublin to launch another attack which ended with Cooper showing composure to add his second point of the tie.

The game continued with Louth getting into the opposition half but they couldn't force a dramatic winner.

The visitors bossed extratime, during which the Reds were only able to add a point to their tally and 'keeper Craig Lynch made a fine save with his feet to deny David Quinn.

However, when trailing by the minimum midway through the second period, O'Hare missed a glorious opportunity when set up by Derek Maguire. He fired off an upright with the 'keeper to beat.

The Dubs quickly added five successive points, three of them falling to substitute David Quinn.

- CARROLL