Meath display enough promise to earn place in tournament final

Meath's bid for success in 2012 got underway in earnest on Saturday night at Pairc Tailteann when they negotiated Louth in the semi-final of the Gaeil Colmcille-promoted Fitzsimons Cup senior football tournament. Gaeil Colmcille, with the co-operation of Meath GAA, successfully revived the long-dormant Fitzsimons Cup inter-county challenge and club officials had to be pleased with the outcome on Saturday night as a sizeable crowd turned up despite the inclement weather. Meath's reward for victory is a place in the decider next Saturday night, 7.0, against Armagh and that game should attract a more substantial crowd The Fitzsimons cup had been a traditional pre-season tournament hosted by the Kells parish club since the 1930s to facilitate new talent and on Saturday night Meath manager Séamus McEnaney utilised a number of players still in shape from the club season. Four Gaeil Colmcille players featured in the starting 15, Justin Carry-Lynch lined out between the posts and produced a competent performance that included one fine late save from Louth's Jim McEneaney. Philip Ward partnered Walterstown's Tommy Walsh at midfield and the duo enjoyed a good outing while Martin Barrett and Brian Hanlon (pictured) completed the full-forward line with Na Fianna's Jamie Queeney. Bective's Ciaran McConnell, at half-back, and Mark Collins (Duleek/Bellewstown) in the half-forwards were the other new faces in the Meath team. Returning to the panel were Rathkenny's Donal Keoghan and Eoin Reilly of Donaghmore/Ashbourne. Meath looked comfortable on the ball in the opening half as they eased into a 0-7 to 0-4 interval advantage. Oldcastle's Paddy Gilsenan claimed four points from play with Graham Reilly, who started at right-half-back, sending over a brace, one free, and Eoin Reilly was also on target. Louth were poor in that opening half and only took a bleak look off the scoreboard with late points from Brian Donnelly and Darren Clarke after McEneaney and Ronan Carroll split the posts midway through the opening half. Louth manager Peter Fitzpatrick introduced eight substitutes at half-time and that certainly didn't help his side find any fluency. By the end of the third-quarter Meath were ahead by double scores, 0-12 to 0-6, with Gilsenan the main threat to the Louth rearguard. The Oldcastle man sent over twice from play while Graham Reilly converted two frees and substitute Willie McGrath, from the Moylagh club, also sent over. Meath also wasted a couple of reasonable goal chances with the Gaeil Colmcille duo of Barrett and Hanlon unlucky not to find the net. All those missed opportunities proved costly when Louth found some momentum with good points from Derek Crilly, McEneaney and Clarke, an excellent effort from out near the terrace sideline that left only three points in it. Meath had a chance to put Louth away when Queeney's goalbound effort was well saved by Louth's Craig Lynch and Gilsenan was wide of the mark with the loose ball. Almost immediately Louth restored parity (1-9 to 0-12) when Clarke finished to the net with seven minutes remaining. That sparked the game to life and the tempo increased as the sides traded a brace of points apiece, Walsh and Shane McAnarney for Meath, Clarke and Carroll for Louth, before Graham Reilly's free edged Meath in front again. Gilsenan found the net for Meath after Graham Reilly did the spadework, McEneaney almost emulated that score in added time, but was denied by Carry-Lynch with a crucial save. Walsh and Queeney added insurance points for Meath to book next Saturday's final ticket. Meath - Justin Carry-Lynch (Gaeil Colmcille); Donal Keoghan (Rathkenny), Bryan Menton (Donaghmore/Ashbourne), Eoghan Harrington (Wolfe Tones); Graham Reilly (St Colmcille's 0-5 four frees), Shane McAnarney (Clann na nGael 0-1), Ciaran McConnell (Bective); Philip Ward (Gaeil Colmcille), Tom Walsh (Walterstown 0-2); Paddy Gilsenan (Oldcastle 1-6), Mark Collins (Duleek/Bellewstown), Eoin Reilly (Donaghmore / Ashbourne 0-1); Martin Barrett (Gaeil Colmcille), Jamie Queeney (Na Fianna 0-1), Brian Hanlon (Gaeil Colmcille). Subs - Ciaran Lenehan (Skryne) for Menton, Willie McGrath (Moylagh) for Eoin Reilly both half-time. Louth - Dwayne Crosby; Eamonn McAuley, Ray McCabe, Gerard Hoey; David McComish, Declan Byrne, Stephen Fitzpatrick; Derek Crilly (0-1), Michael Rodgers; Conor Rafferty, Ronan Carroll (0-3), Brian Donnelly (0-1); Cathal Bellew, Jim McEneaney (0-2), Darren Clarke (1-4 two frees, one '45'). Subs - Jason Clarke for Bellew 32 mins, Dwayne Crosby for Lynch, Jackie Agnew for McAuley, Sean McCann for Rodgers, Conor McGuinness for McComish, Harry O'Connell for Fitzpatrick all half-time, Eamonn O'Neill for Donnelly 44m, Ronan Greene for Hoey 47m. Referee - Joe McQuillan (Cavan).