Royal recovery sets up semi-final clash with Dublin

Like lions fighting for pride and survival Meath produced a mesmerising spirited second-half to see off Offaly 1-7-11 to 0-5-11 and book their place in the Leinster SFC semi-finals against Dublin in two weeks time.

After losing the coin toss and being forced to play against the stiff breeze Meath were like lambs to the slaughter in a dire opening half that saw them surrender possession time and again around the middle and cut apart by an industrious and lively Offaly attack.

Trailing by 10 points at the break, albeit with the benefit of a sizeable breeze to come in the second period, Meath looked a beaten docket and another surprise loss to Offaly looked on the cards.

However, the second-half saw a more committed, hungrier, determined and focused Meath as Offaly struggled to cope with the rise in intensity.

Mathew Costello led the charge for the Royals and as his presence started to be felt he inspired those around him with Jack Flynn, Conor Duke and super-subs Aaron Lynch and James Conlon playing key roles in the remarkable recovery.

Offaly led by 0-15 to 0-5 at the break and even after Meath rallied at the start of the second-half the visitors settled again and led by 0-17 to 0-9 nine minutes after the resumption.

Then Meath took over and in a nine minute spell between the 45th and 54th minutes they kicked four two-pointers and one regular point, with Offaly's only reply coming from a two-point free from goalkeeper Paddy Dunican in that spell, to close to within a point 0-18 to 0-19.

It took another seven minutes before Conlon lofted over the equaliser, but just over three minutes later Flynn landed a massive two-point score from over 50 metres to give the Royals the lead for the first time and they never looked back.

Costello and Conlon stretched Meath's lead before another two-point free from Dunican set nerves on end again as Offaly closed to within two, but when Lynch beat Dunican to a ball out on the right and aimed a Garryowen in Conlon's direction it spelled trouble for Offaly as the St Colmcille's man got a vital touch to divert the ball to the net - game over.

There was still time for Hogan to land a two-point free of his own to put the icing on Meath's performance that was very much Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde in the contrasting halves.

The opening half was poor from Meath. They did have chances, but kicked eight wides and dropped two efforts short. The didn't score from play until the 36th minute, while Offaly tore them asunder with Keith O'Neill enjoying the freedom of Pairc Tailteann to kick two two-pointers and single scores from play and from a free, while Dylan Hyland also scored from play and a free as Offaly raced into a 0-8 to 0-0 lead.

Keith Curtis, who was Meath's liveliest player in the opening period, won two successive frees which were converted by Eoghan Frayne and Costello, but Offaly continued to dominate with Cormac Egan and Shane Tierney kicking single pointers either side of a two-point score from Kyle Higgins.

Jack Bryant had all the time in the world to make it 0-13 to 0-2 in the 32nd minute, but in the closing five minutes of the half Meath outscored Offaly with two from Costello (one free) and one from Sean Coffey in reply to a free from Hyland and one from Tierney ensuring the deficit was 10 at the break.

Bryan Menton popped over a simple point 90 seconds after the restart just as a goal chance opened up in front of him. Offaly had a sniff at a goal too, but Rory Egan's dangerous centre was well cut out by Seamus Lavin.

A Costello point was followed by a two-pointer from Duke, but Offaly maintained their good position with Duncan converting a '45' and Hyland capitalising on a generously awarded free to make it 0-17 to 0-9.

Offaly managed just two more scores in the closing 32 minutes of play, both two point frees, while Meath kept the scoreboard ticking over with two-pointers from Duke, Costello (one from play and one from a free) and Frayne (free) and a point from Lynch to close to within one, 0-18 to 0-19 at the three-quarters stage.

There only ever looked like one winner at that stage. Although it did take almost eight minutes before Conlon drew Meath level and when Flynn kicked his huge two-pointer the Meath supporters could breathe a little easier.

Meath - Billy Hogan (0-2 two-point free); Seamus Lavin, Sean Rafferty, Brian O'Halloran; Sean Coffey (0-1), Donal Keogan, Ciaran Caulfield; Jack Flynn (0-2 one-pointer), Bryan Menton (0-1); Conor Duke (0-4 two two-pointers), Ruairi Kinsella, Keith Curtis; Diarmuid Moriarty, Mathew Costello (0-9 one two-pointer, one two-point free, two frees), Eoghan Frayne (0-3 one two-point free, one free). Subs - Aaron Lynch (0-1) for Moriarty 46m, Shane Walsh for Curtis 54m, James Conlon (1-2) for Kinsella 60m, Ronan Ryan for Raffrety 63m, Adam O'Neill for Lavin 34m, Cathal Hickey for Frayne 73m.

Offaly - Paddy Dunican (0-5 two two-point frees, one '45'); Lee Pearson, Aidan Bracken, Daire McDaid; Rory Egan, John Furlong, Cormac Egan (0-1); Jack McEvoy, Jordan Hayes; Kyle Higgins (0-2 two-pointer), Cathal Flynn, Keith O'Neill (0-6 two two-pointers, one free); Dylan Hyland (0-4 three frees), Jack Bryant (0-1), Shane Tierney (0-2). Subs - Aaron Leavy for Bracken 62m, Eoin Sawyer for Tierney 63m, David Dempsey for McDaid 65m.

Referee - Sean Lonergan (Tipperary).