Experimental Meath side foiled by the faithful

The Meath u-20's will now turn their focus to a quarter-final clash with Wexford next Wednesday

Meath 2-0-11 (17)

Offaly 1-2-11 (18)

Tom Gannon

As Meath had already secured the top spot in Group 1 of the Leinster u-20 FC, Wednesday evening's game against Offaly in Ashbourne presented an opportunity for Cathal O'Bric to field a completely fresh-looking Meath side.

None of the starting 15 who took to the pitch last week in Kinnegad started this week and only one made an appearance, John Gormley in the dying embers. Even though the result had no bearing on the competition itself, Meath will feel like they let this one slip away.

Meath's focus will now turn to next Wednesday when the Royals meet Wexford in the quarter-final. The Yellowbellies were comfortably beaten by Kildare in their final group game.

Two goals inside the first two minutes, courtesy of Cillian Yore and Evan Kelly gave the Royals an ideal start to the contest.

Meath held on to the lead until the 47th minute when Offaly sub Conor Fox handed the faithful a 0-13 to 2-6 lead. Meath responded well and regained a two-point advantage but Brian Carroll's last-minute goal secured Offaly the victory.

Cathal O'Bric can take some positives away from the night, especially from some of the performances of his forwards. Conor O'Brien, Cian Duggan and Evan Kelly caused the Offaly defence a lot of issues.

Straight from the throw-in, Meath worked the ball forward and Cian Duggan picked out Evan Kelly who breezed through the Offaly defence before finishing to the back of the net.

A minute later, Cillian Yore burst forward and played a lovely one-two with Duggan, before his shot came back off the right side of the post and into the net to give the Royals an early 2-0 to 0-0 lead.

For the next twenty minutes or so the sides traded blows. Goalscorer Evan Kelly set up both of Meath's next two points which were well-struck by Conor O'Brien and Aidan Mackay.

A lapse in concentration from the 'Faithful County' left them with only two forwards up, and Pat Crawely slotted over the resulting free. For each of those three aforementioned points, Offaly's Kaelem Bryan responded with a free and after 25 minutes, Meath led by 2-3 to 0-3.

Offaly finished out the half well and outscored Meath 0-6 to 0-1. That tally included two two-pointers which were scored by Dara Bates and Davin Keegan. Meath's only point in this period was secured by Zach Thornton. At the interval, Meath led by the slender margin of 2-4 to 0-9.

Half-time substitute, Aaron Farrelly assisted Duggan early in the second-half but Duggan's point was soon cancelled by Bryan. Pat Crawley restored Meath's two-point advantage in the 34th minute.

Offaly's Ciaran Scully was handed a golden opportunity when the faithful ripped through the heart of the Meath defence but Eoin Drysdale came to the Royal's rescue and made a fantastic clearance off the line to deny Scully a certain goal.

Bates burst through the Meath defence and reduced the gap back to one. Offaly followed that point up with two more, courtesy of Cillian Foran and Conor Fox which handed them the lead for the first time.

Meath responded well and three points in quick succession from O'Brien, Betson and Cormac Liggan put the Royals up by two again. With five minutes left, Meath led 2-10 to 0-13.

Brian Carroll was then introduced to the contest which proved to be a crucial decision. Carroll linked up with Fox before he brought Offaly back to within one. Crawley and Foran traded scores before Carroll dealt a killer blow with a goal in the dying moments.

Meath - Braydon Colfer; Cillian Yore (1-0), Fiach Hartigan, Oisin Brennan; Aidan Mackey (0-1), James Reeves, Seimi Byrne; Harry Cahill, Sean Betson (0-1); Conor O'Brien (0-2), Zach Thornton (0-1), Ivo Fitzherbert; Pat Crawley (0-3 two frees), Cian Duggan (0-1), Evan Kelly (1-1)

. Subs - Eoin Drysdale for Byrne 6m, Michael O'Sullivan for Cahill, Aaron Farrelly for Thornton both half-time, Cormac Liggan (0-1) for Mackey 33m, John Gormley for Betson 62m.

Offaly - Conor Melia; Jack Daly Paul Conway, Charlie Keogh; Jake Maher, Patrick Kenna, Harry Goulding; David O'Rourke (0-1), Eoin Dunne; Dara Cuddihy, Dara Bates (0-3 one two-point), Davin Keegan (0-2 one two-point; Ciaran Scully, Luke Kelly, Kaelum Bryan (0-5 three frees). Subs -Cilian Foran (0-2 one free) for Kenna, Jack Maher for Cuddihy both 38m, Conor Fox (0-1) for Luke Kelly for Bates, Cian Bracken for Bryan both 46m, Brian Carroll (1-1) for Keegan 53m.

Referee - Enda Kelly (Westmeath)