Disappointed Meath fans leave Pairc Tailteann after the defeat to Dublin.

Early goals leave Meath down and out

Hit with sucker punches at the start of each half Meath found themselves on the ropes for most of this Leinster u-20 encounter eventually losing out to Dublin by 2-10 to 4-16 at Pairc Tailteann this evening. 

The game was just 17 seconds old when Dublin's James Doran broke through for a goal and he went on to better that finding the net again just 13 seconds into the second-half. 

That early goal first-half goal really rocked Meath but they did well to put themselves back in the frame by half-time when they trailed by 'only' 1-5 to 1-8 with Frank O'Reilly getting their goal from the penalty spot. 

However Dublin started the second-half like a steam train with Doran once again breaking through to despatch the ball to the net. Further second-half goals netted by Ross McGarry and Karl Lynch-Bissett helped to put the visitors 4-12 to 1-8 ahead after 50 minutes - and at that stage some supporters started to head for the exits. Tom Keane also inflicted a lot of pain on Meath with seven points, two frees. 

Meath kept battling away and they put a better gloss on the scoreboard when Jordan Morris found the net with a spectacular shot shortly before the end but there was no stopping rampant Dublin. Ethan Devine also had a 'goal' disallowed in the second-half for square ball while O'Reilly almost bagged a second goal when he forced a fine save from Dublin's David O'Hanlon. 

Morris finished as Meath's main marksman with 1-4, all his points from frees while O'Reilly notched 1-2 with Shane Walsh, James Conlon and Adam Kealy also pointing for a below-par Royal County side who struggled to contain this powerful Dublin outfit. 

"Those early goals were killer punches you always go out in a game and try and dictate the pace and that's what we set out to do but we were caught by those sucker-punches at both throw-ups," said Meath manager Brian Farrell afterwards. 

See analysis, match report, comments and photographs in the next issue of the Meath Chronicle. 

 

 

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