Meath score rare win over Dubs
Wins over Dublin are as rare as hen's teeth these days so tonight's 1-15 to 1-10 Leinster u-17 Special FC victory over the visitors from the capital makes happy reading for Meath supporters.
The margin of victory is flattering for Dublin as Meath were the dominant side throughout playing with a power, pace and panache the Blues simply couldn't cope with.
The only blot on the Meath copybook was their tired finish which saw Sean Ryan pick up a careless straight red card and Dublin hit 1-1 in injury-time to make it a nervous finish.
However there was no need for such nerves as Meath extended their four-point interval lead to 12 points by the end of the third quarter with the outstanding Jordan Morris firing a brilliant goal to put the issue beyond doubt.
Before their late lack of concentration Meath had conceded just two points from play with the majority of Dublin's danger men virtually shut out, with Ciaran Archer the only exception as he finished with all bar one of Dublin's scores.
A totally dominant first-half display from Meath was punctuated by some poor discipline and strange refereeing that allowed Dublin stay in touch.
The visitors wastefulness in front of the posts also ensured it wasn't closer at the break as they kicked three frees wide, dropped another short and were also off target from two '45s' despite playing with a strong wind at their backs.
However they did score five of the last six points of the half to trail by just four at the interval.
Dublin looked threateneing in the opening minutes, but they missed an early free before Meath opened the scoring after 90 seconds from a Jordan Morris free. Morris doubled that advantage a minute and as Dublin missed a couple of more dead ball opportunities the hosts grew in confidence.
Two outstanding points in 30 seconds from Shane Walsh made it 0-4 to 0-0 and when captain Liam Byrne converted a '45' and Morris kicked his third of the evening it threatened to get embarrassing for the young Dublin side.
Another outstanding score from Morris made it 0-7 to 0-0 at the end of the opening quarter and when Barry O'Connell converted a free after he had been fouled Meath looked like kicking on further.
However Dublin eventually found their range with Ciaran Archer converting a free in the 19th minute to open his side's account and after Walsh needlessly fouled Kieran McKeon late it gifted Archer with a simple tap over to make it 0-2 to 0-8.
A harsh call on the Meath defence gifted Archer his third converted free and even after Morris kicked his fifth point Dublin continued to whittle away at the lead with a '45' from Archer and one from play for the St Maur's player closing the gap to 0-5 to 0-9 at the break.
Fears of a Dublin revival were quickly put to rest after the resumption as Byrne converted his second '45' and Paddy Matthews pointed to make it 0-11 to 0-5 in the 32nd minute.
Another Archer free was Dublin's only score in the third quarter as Walsh added a point before Morris's quick thinking from a close range free saw Cian McBride return a pass for the Nobber player to finish cooly.
Matthews and Morris added further points to extend Meath's lead to 1-14 to 0-6 at the end of the third quarter.
The final stages were punctuated by substitutions and yellow cards. Kieran McKeon became Dublin's only other scorer before Archer converted another free. McBride closed Meath's account in the 57th minute and despite Ryan's red card and Archer's late flurry of 1-1 Meath held on to advance to the semi-finals, while Dublin head through the back door.
Meath – Lee Brown (St Colmcille's); Sean Bannon (Ballinabrackey), Sean Ryan (Dunboyne), Michael Gavin (Simonstown); Oran Smullen (Na Fianna), Liam Byrne (Dunboyne 0-2 '45s'), Conal Courtney (Gaeil Colmcille); Colm Doherty (Skryne), Patrick Matthews (Drumconrath/Meath Hill 0-2); Cian McBride (St Cuthbert's 0-1), Shane Walsh (Na Fianna 0-3), Barry O'Connell (Walterstown 0-1 free); Aaron Lynch (Trim), Jordan Morris (Nobber 1-6 three frees), Matthew Costello (Dunshaughlin). Subs – Fergal Watters (Dunboyne) for O'Connell half-time, Eoin Martin (Dunboyne) for Costello 42 mins, Conor Harford (St Vincent's/Curraha) for Gavin 47m, Dylan Keating (Seneschalstown) for Doherty 56m. Black card – C Courtney (replaced by Michael Murphy (Dunboyne) ) 52m.
Dublin – L Woodcock; D O'Connell, S Tuke, P McNamara; K Quinn, C Kinsella, K McKeon (0-1); N Comerford, F O'Sullivan; D Warnock, C O'Reilly, A Byrne; F O Ceallaigh, P Purcell, C Archer (1-9 six frees, one '45'). Subs – S Lowry for O'Reilly half-time, B O'Leary for O Ceallaigh 43 mins, L Tyrell for McNamara, E Hill for Comerford, E Lyons for Tuke all 46m, J Leonard for Byrne 56m.
Referee – Da vid Fedigan (Louth).