Heartbreak for hurlers

Well into the third of the minimum three minutes injury-time announced, 14-man Meath led by two points and looked set to secure a remarkable victory over Wicklow at Newbridge on Saturday in the Christy Ring Cup. Then disaster struck. Michael Foley produced a heroic block to deny Andy O'Brien an effort on goal, but typical of the luck Meath endured, the ball broke to the magnificent Jonathan O'Neill and he rifled to the net from the narrowest of angles to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat for Wicklow. Play resumed with a Meath attack which broke down, but with 10 seconds of the minimum of three minutes injury-time remaining Limerick referee Denis Richardson blew his final whistle to break Royal hearts and send Wicklow through to a semi-final clash with Kerry. Defeat was harsh on a battling Meath side that made life so difficult for themselves with dreadful starts to both halves and then had substitute Peter Durnin sent-off nine minutes into the second-half for a wild pull across the legs of Timmy Collins. Playing in Sahara-like conditions, with as much sand on the pitch as the famous desert, Meath left themselves in a crippling position following Durnin's departure. TJ Reilly's charges trailed by 1-9 to 2-10 at that stage and could have been forgiven for giving up the ghost. However, what the team lacked in defensive stability they more than made up for in heart, hunger, desire, passion and commitment. Meath could have easily thrown in the towel when reduced to 14 men, but instead they upped the tempo and piled on the pressure. Following Durnin's sending-off Meath out-scored the Garden County by 0-9 to 0-3 to take a two-point lead into injury-time, but then Wicklow produced a knock-out punch right at the bell. Losing in such cruel fashion was hard, but Meath created their own difficulties. For long periods they were out-hurled by an impressive Wicklow side that won NHL Div 3B earlier this year. O'Brien, and two-goal hero Enan Glynn, tormented the full-back line and it took an age for Meath to get to grips. Kilmessan's Stephen Clynch was hampered by a hand injury, which he sustained in an earlier round against Kildare, and it wasn't until those mesmerising final 20 minutes that his magnificent talent came to the fore. Prior to that, Wicklow dominated midfield and caused the Meath defence many problems. Meath struggled to supply quality ball to their impressive forward division where long-serving Nicky Horan was at his brilliant best throughout. Noel Kirby also had a fine game while Kevin Fagan and Mark Mullally gave glimpses of their ability, but were inconsistent. Evidence of Meath's defensive frailties were offered after just seven seconds when a long ball sent forward from the throw-in caused pandemonium around the square and ended up in the net with Glynn getting the vital last touch. Four minutes later Stephen Quinn made a great stop from an O'Neill 20-metre free, but from the resultant '65' Wicklow stretched their advantage with O'Neill converting. Glynn and O'Brien tormented David Donoghue and Foley and it was O'Brien who made it 1-2 to 0-0 in the sixth minute. Meath eventually settled 30 seconds later with a Mullally centre finding Horan and the Kilmessan man lofted over. Kevin Fagan narrow the gap with a spectacular effort, but Meath were chasing the game. A second goal for Glynn after just 12 minutes, following more hesitancy in the Meath defence, put Wicklow in the driving seat. On an already scorching hot afternoon, Meath's engine was in danger of overheating. O'Neill made it 2-3 to 0-2 a minute later, but then points from Horan, from a great goal chance, and Neil Hackett (two) in a two-minute spell closed the deficit to 0-5 to 2-3 at the end of the first-quarter. O'Brien and Mullally traded scores before Meath's first recovery was kick-started by a Kirby goal after good work by Mullally and Horan. Subsequent points from Horan, Durnin and Kirby had Meath 1-9 to 2-4 ahead seven minutes before the break. O'Brien settled Wicklow and picked off two points to ensure parity at the break, 2-6 to 1-9. Meath's propensity for slow starts showed again at the beginning of the second period as points from O'Neill (two), Eamonn Kearns and Ronan Keddy gave Wicklow their 2-10 to 1-9 advantage before Durnin was red-carded. Meath were transformed with Clynch, David Kirby, Horan and Paul Fagan impressing. Mullally had a scrambled effort cleared off the line before three outstanding points from Clynch and a Hackett free had the gap down to the minimum, 1-13 to 2-11. Glynn and veteran Don Hyland restored Wicklow's three-point cushion with nine minutes remaining, but Meath refused to give up. Top drawer scores from Horan, Clynch and David Kirby had the Royals on level terms and when Kevin Fagan and Horan edged them two points clear in injury-time, victory looked assured. However, Wicklow showed typical Royal powers of recovery. They piled players forward and got their reward with a large slice of luck when O'Brien's blocked effort broke to O'Neill who made no mistake to break Meath hearts. SCORERS Wicklow - E Glynn 2-1; J O'Neill 1-4, one free, one'65'; A O'Brien 0-4; D Hyland 0-2; E Kearns 0-1; R Keddy 0-1. Meath - N Horan 0-5; S Clynch 0-4; N Kirby 1-1; N Hackett 0-3, two frees; K Fagan 0-2; M Mullally 0-1; P Durnin 0-1; D Kirby 0-1. THE TEAMS Wicklow - T Kennedy; E O'Neill, G Keogh, W Collins; B Cuddihy, L Kennedy, G Bermingham; E Kearns, M O'Neill; R Keddy, J O'Neill, T Collins; A O'Brien, TJ Hennessy, E Glynn. Sub - D Hyland for Hennessy 40 mins. Meath - S Quinn; M Foley, E Fitzgerald, D Donoghue; M Horan, P Fagan, D Kirby; S Donoghue, S Clynch; P Keogh, N Horan, N Hackett; K Fagan, N Kirby, M Mullally. Subs - P Durnin for P Keogh 19 mins, E Keogh for S Donoghue 45m, M Kelly for Hackett 62m. REFEREE Denis Richardson (Limerick).