A DISASTROUS opening half hour – 'the worst we've played,' according to manager Paddy Kelly – proved Louth's undoing in St Brigid's Park on Saturday as Roscommon avenged their league defeat to advance to the semi-finals.

The hosts were all over the place as Seamus Qualter's outfit raced into a 0-12 to no score lead after 27 minutes, a surge that was to prove vital for Roscommon because they were unable to match it in the second period as their opponents rallied somewhat.

Back in March Louth beat the Connacht men by 1-12 to 1-8, but this loss doesn't end their involvement as they can still make the last four via a quarter-final next weekend.

Roscommon looked different class from the throw-in, with John Moran taking just 14 seconds to register.

However, it was the deadly duo of Niall Kilroy and David Dolan who tore Louth to shreds. The pair evenly shared eight of those dozen points, Kilroy's contribution all coming from open play.

It was mostly one-way traffic during that spell, though Wesley Morrissey was hooked as he went for goal rather than taking an easy point when the board read 0-5 to 0-0.

The Reds finally got off the mark in the 29th minute when Diarmuid Murphy fired to the net off a breaking Gerard Smyth free.

Donagh O'Sullivan soon made it 0-12 to 1-1, but Roscommon finished the half stronger to go in 0-14 to 1-2 ahead.

Although John Coyne replied to an early Smyth point, it was to be the visitors' last for 27 minutes.

Unfortunately, Louth could not capitalise. Their scoring tempo was some way short of what Roscommon achieved earlier. A number of chances were wasted, while the gaps between some of the points were just too long.

What the Reds really needed was a second goal. Instead they managed five unanswered points from O'Sullivan, Shane Fennell, Derek Horan and Smyth (2) to leave it 0-15 to 1-8 by the 67th minute.

A David Dolan free soon followed to end the Rossies' drought and he added another right at the end.

In between those efforts by the Four Roads clubman, Louth corner back Mark Wallace was sent off after picking up a second yellow card.

Antrim referee Owen Elliott started the match five minutes early at 3.25pm. He must have anticipated all the injury time. The fourth official indicated nine minutes, yet just over seven were played. Not that it made any difference. ROSCOMMON: Padraig Dolan; Shane Curley, Colm Moran, Ian Delaney; Sean Melia, Michael Kelly, Padraig Kelly 0-2; John Moran 0-1, Kevin Conneely 0-1; Gary Fallon, Mervyn Connaughton 0-1, David Dolan 0-7 (0-6f); Niall Kilroy 0-4, John Coyne 0-1, Eamonn Kenny. Subs: Tomas Lennon for J Moran ( h. t), Michael Keaveney for M Connaughton (52), Kenny Dolan for S Melia (62), Brendan Kelly for K Conneely (65), Gerry Fallon for Gary Fallon (76). LOUTH: Eddie McArdle; Mark Wallace, Aiden Carter, Adrian Wallace; Barry Murphy, Ronan Byrne, Gerard Smyth 0-4 (0-2f, 0-1 '65'); Derek Horan 0-1, David Dunne; Donagh O'Sullivan 0-2, Gary Rellis, Wesley Morrissey; Diarmuid Murphy 1-0, Shane Callan, Shane Fennell 0-1. Subs: Kevin McNally for G Rellis (42), Donal Rafferty for B Murphy (43), Gavin Kerrigan for S Fennell (51), Collins Connolly for W Morrissey (64). REFEREE: Owen Elliott (Antrim).

- Francis CARROLL