Meath beat Dublin again and clinch Leinster title
Meath clinched the inaugural Leinster u-17 Special FC title with a thoroughly deserved 3-12 to 1-13 victory against Dublin today at the Gaelic Grounds, Drogheda.
Meath defeated Dublin in the first round of the competition at the end of June, but the back door system paved the way for the Metropolitan boys to get back into the competition.
Both teams played semi-finals last Tuesday night with Meath beating Kildare and Dublin accounting for Laois.
The reward for Meath now is an All-Ireland semi-final date against Tyrone next Saturday.Â
The teams were level four times in the opening half today with Meath ahead by 1-4 to 0-6 at the break with the help of Matthew Costello's 29th minute goal.
Meath blitzed Dublin in three second-half minutes with a goal from Jordan Morris inside 20 seconds and points from Michael Gavin and Shane Walsh.
Dublin countered through a John Foley goal before points from Fionnan O'Sullivan, Sean Lowry and Darragh Warnock drew the sides level (2-6 to 1-9).
Costello finished to the net again for Meath and it got better when points followed from Morris (two), Costello, Walsh and  Barry O'Connell for a  3-11 to 1-10 advantage.Â
Meath kept a tight grip on the game for the remainder although Cian McBride departed to a second yellow card near the end.
Meath scorers:  Matthew Costello (2-3), Jordan Morris (1-3), Shane Walsh  (0-3), Barry O'Connell (0-1), Michael Gavin (0-1); Liam Byrne (0-1),
'We won this Leinster title the hard way, beating Dublin in the first round and again today in the final,' stated Meath manager Ronan Kearns.
Meath will play Tyrone in the All-Ireland semi-final next Saturday.
See the Chronicle out on Tuesday evening for report, reaction and photographs of today's big win for Meath.
WATCH - presentation ceremony in Drogheda