Both of these Leinster counties will play in Division 2 of the National League next year but, as Mickey Harte feared, there was a chasm between them at O'Connor Park.
Louth came to Tullamore hoping to build on the momentum of two promotions in a row under Harte and his sidekick Gavin Devlin.
But Kildare had been competitive in the League's top tier this year and the difference in class was clear to see for the 5,308 attendance.