Leinster SFC First Round (second replay)/Louth 2-28 Wicklow 0-11:It happens in second replays: one team will suddenly get everything right while the other suddenly tires.

And so it proved yesterday. Louth's form shot off in one direction, Wicklow's in the other, the final score hardly reflecting the true distance between the teams.

Louth get to play Wexford in a fortnight's time - and likely share a Croke Park double bill with the Dublin-Meath replay - while Wicklow are consigned to the Tommy Murphy Cup.

But anyone who thought such a scenario would scare the indefatigable Mick O'Dwyer into a permanent return to Waterville is mistaken.

"Ah sure, yeah, we'll stay for another year anyway," said O'Dwyer, with that old smile. "I gave a commitment for two years and I'm going to stick to it. I don't run away from anything like this. When I was with Kildare didn't Louth beat us up in Drogheda, but we came back.

"That's part and parcel of the game; you have to accept defeat as well as victories. Although we have a lot of work to do yet, that's for sure."

It was a hard defeat for Wicklow, especially given their slight dominance in the two drawn games. Once again they matched Louth step for step in the first half, but they fell way behind in the second.

Three inspiring points by Louth's Paddy Keenan shortly after half-time, soon followed by killer goals from JP Rooney and Mark Stanfield, sent Louth on their merry way, the same time as Wicklow started to mentally and physically wilt.

"We played great football in the second half," admitted Louth manager Eamonn McEneaney, "played the way we've promised to do during certain parts of the league. I knew they had that kind of performance in them.

"We didn't produce it the last couple of Sundays and that left a lot of doubters out there, so maybe that will answer some of them.

"We made some crucial changes as well, but I thought all the lads played well. It was just a case that our lads were more determined today than in the other two games and wanted to finish things off. This time they produced the quality along with the commitment. We showed we still have the quality. I knew it was there, it was just a question of getting it out on the day."

Among those crucial changes was Rooney being restored to the starting line-up; he ended with 1-2. Midfielder Ronan Carroll was replaced early on because of injury, allowing Martin Farrelly to later take control of the area along with Keenan.

Aaron Hoey and John O'Brien chipped in with big scores, as did two of the late substitutes - Shane Lennon and Darren Clarke - who were originally listed to start.

For the opening 35 minutes the two teams appeared inseparable as ever.

Louth posted three points without reply. Then Wicklow hit five on the trot, Paul Earls and John Slattery showing plenty of pace out on the wings and Tony Hannon steadying them with his free-taking.

It was 0-5 apiece and 0-6 apiece before Louth stole the slightest advantage going into the break.

After that it fell apart for Wicklow. Keenan and Farrelly started to dominate midfield, while James Stafford and Thomas Walsh struggled for Wicklow, who didn't score again until the 48th minute, at which stage Louth were threatening to pull away.

Two goals inside three minutes put them out of sight.

Rooney was first to find the net, taking a sweet pass from Ray Finnegan on 51 minutes and slipping his shot low and unstoppable, slicing off the right upright along the way.

Two minutes later Rooney turned provider when his floating shot was fisted into the net by Stanfield. Louth led 2-11 and 0-9, and Hoey's follow-up point made it double scores.

Those goals sucked the energy out of the Wicklow team. Hannon managed one further free and Walsh also popped up for a late score, but by then Louth had turned it into a practice game, Clarke and Lennon hitting 0-3 between them during time added on.

O'Dwyer had little choice but to praise the winners.

"For the first half we played pretty well," he said. "But for the second half we were outplayed completely. Louth were just the better team in the second half. Conditions didn't help us. To be honest we're not great in those conditions. Dry conditions and we can perform better, I think.

"We have no real complaints though. Wicklow can be proud of all those players. We've had three great games, and we'll move on. Defeats you'll have; it's a learning process.

"Louth are a good side and will take a bit of beating."

Though excluded from the qualifiers, Wicklow could yet return to Croke Park if they make the final of the Tommy Murphy Cup. Either way O'Dwyer is sure to be back.

"It's pity we're not allowed in the qualifiers. We'll have a few games in the Tommy Murphy Cup I hope, which is still a help, because it will take time with this team. You can't just press buttons and things happen overnight.

"We still did okay over the three games, didn't we?"

LOUTH: 1 S Reynolds; 2 A Page, 3 C Goss, 4 J Carr; 5 D Finnegan, 6 P McGinnity, 7 R Finnegan; 8 P Keenan (0-3), 9 R Carroll; 10 M Farrelly, 27 J O'Brien (0-1), 12 M Stanfield (1-3); 13 A Hoey (0-4, one free), 11 M Brennan, 25 JP Rooney (1-2, two frees). Subs: 22 N McDonnell (0-1) for Carroll (24 mins), 19 C Grimes (0-1) for Stanfield (61 mins), 17 D Brennan for Finnegan (63 mins), 15 D Clarke (0-1) for Hoey (65 mins), 14 S Lennon (0-2) for Rooney (66 mins). Louth: Yellow cards: C Goss (28 mins), M Stanfield (37 mins), P McGinnity (45 mins), M Farrelly (60 mins).

WICKLOW: 1 B Norman; 2 C Hyland, 3 D Power, 4 A Byrne; 5 JP Dalton, 6 D Ó hAnnaidh, 7 P Dalton (0-1); 8 J Stafford, 9 T Walsh (0-1); 10 P Earls (0-2), 11 L Glynn (0-1), 12 J Slattery (0-1); 13 T Gill (0-1), 24 J McGrath (0-1), 15 T Hannon (0-3, all frees). Subs: 20 D Odlum for Slattery (half-time), 25 B Ó hAnnaidh for Byrne (56 mins). Yellow cards: D Odlum (38 mins), J Stafford (60 mins).

Referee: Pádraig Hughes (Armagh).