Meath exit Leinster MFC

Meath crashed out of the Leinster MFC this evening in MUllingar losing by 1-14 to 2-15 after extra-time against Westmeath.

A disappointing result from a game Meath could have won in normal time.

Meath didn't score from play in the opening half although they carved out three good goal chances without finding the net.
Summerhill's Eoghan Frayne converted two frees and a '45' while Niall Finnerty also send over as Meath laboured for scores in a swirling wind.

Westmeath enjoyed the majority of possession in the opening 30 minutes, but found it difficult to make it count on the scoreboard.

Ben McGauran claimed three points (two frees) with one each from Shane Reid, Luke Buckley, Fionn O'Hara and  Eamonn Martin as the hosts established a 0-7 to 0-4 interval advantage.

Westmeath did enough to remain in the ascendancy during the third-quarter with two points from Mc Gauran (one free) 
and one each from Dan Leech and O'Hara with Meath staying in touch from frees through Frayne (three) and Finnerty.

That left Westmeath with a 0-11 to 0-8 advantage and the deficit was reduced to two when Meath substitute Barry Thompson opened his side's account from play with 13 minutes remaining.

That was the catalyst for a period of dominance with Finnerty's superb individual goal followed by Josh Carolan and Frayne points for a 1-11 to 0-11 lead with four minutes remaining.

Westmeath found the perfect response with a goal from O'Hara, but Meath countered with a brace of Frayne points 
(one free), but once more Westmeath dud deep and forced extra-time with late points from McGauran and Buckley (free). 

Meath managed a Finnerty point in the opening period of extra-time, but a speculative effort from Westmeath's Shane Reid flashed to the net and had the hosts in the ascendancy by 2-13 to 1-14 at the break.

Meath created good early chances in the second period but went for goals and drew a blank on the scoreboard as 
Buckley and Cillian Lawlor added points for Westmeath