Meath falter against Dublin

Dublin recorded a merited Leinster MFC first round victory over Meath by 4-10 to 2-10 at Parnell Park this evening.

Meath and Dublin served up a first-half thriller and ended on level terms at 2—6 each after an absorbing 30 minutes,

Meath started well and after coughing up a goal chance to Dublin after 30 seconds which the hosts hit wide, the Royals found the net at the other end when Aaron Chinchilla finished.

Niall Finnerty scored the first of his three first-half points soon after but Dublin's Ryan O'Dwyer sent over and then Sean Kinsella (Ashbourne CS student) rifled to the net to tie the scores at 1-1 each after only six minutes.

Dublin took control for a brief period as Meath consistently gave the ball away and they added a second goal through Robbie Bolger with points from O'Dwyer, Alex Rogers, Kinsella and a brace from Fionn Murray (one free).

Facing a big task to get back into the game Meath rallied well and controlled the latter satges of the half with a brace of pointed frees from Barry Thompson, two from Finnerty and one from Eoghan Frayne.

The crucial score was a 21^st minute goal by David Bell, a member of last year's Leinster MFC-winning team.

Dublin resumed smartly from the throw in for the second-half and Senan Forker burst through for a goal, but Dean Pluck made a superb save.

Meath countered and David Bell pointed before he then missed a goal chance . Meath continued to attack and Frayne sent over a good point.

Finnerty then had a fisted 'goal' disallowed and Dublin countered with a point from David O'Dowd and a goal from Ryan O'Dwyer in the 43^rd minute after the ball rebounded off the post.

The teams shared four points over the next 10 minutes, but when Dublin substitute Luke Swan added a point and then a goal the game was over as a contest.

SEE VIDEO OF THE CLOSING STAGES PLUS TEAMS SCORERS AND NEXT UP

SCORERS

Meath – David Bell 1-1; Niall Finnerty 0-3;Pearse Sheridan 0-2; Barry Thompson 0-2; Aaron Chinchilla 1-0; Eoghan Frayne 0-2.

Dublin – Ryan O'Dwyer 1-2; Luke Swan 1-1; Sean Kinsella 1-1; Robbie Bolger 1-0; Fionn Murray 0-4; Alex Rogers 0-1; David O'Dowd 0-1

TEAMS

Dublin – H O'Sullivan; C Tyrrell, B Millist, C Archer; A Watson, S Forker, J Lundy; L Murphy-Guinane, D O'Dowd; R O'Dwyer, S Kinsella, A Rogers; R Bolger, F Murray, D Fagan. Subs – L Swan for Rogers half-time, T Brennan for Fagan 40 min, K Conroy for Forker 51m, L Curran for Bolger 52m, H Colclough for Murphy-Guinane and E Gannon for Murray both 60m.

Meath – Dean Pluck (Ballinabrackey); Jamie Fagan (Kilmainhamwood), Aitzol King (St Patrick's), Harry Corscadden (Meath Hill); Harry Ryan (Ballinlough), Aaron Chinchilla (Simonstown Gaels), Ciaran Caulfield (Trim); Josh Carolan (Simonstown Gaels), Cillian Hegarty (Donaghmore / Ashbourne); Evan Corrigan (Wolfe Tones), Niall Finnerty (Skryne), Eoghan Frayne (Summerhill); Pearse Sheridan (Oldcastle), Barry Thompson (Ballinabrackey), David Bell (St Colcille's). Subs – Shane Smyth (Skryne) for Corrigan 23 mins, Endi Ehichoya (St Colmcille's) for Thompson46m; Sean O'Donoghue for Ryan 50m, Corrigan for Chinchilla 55m, Thompson for Bell 58.

Referee – Alan Coyne (Westmeath).

RESULTS

First round – Offaly 1-10, Wexford 1-9; Dublin 4-10, Meath 2-10.

NEXT UP

Wednesday 8^th May – Meath v Offaly; Wexford v Dublin.

Wednesday 15^th May – Meath v Wexford; Dublin v Offaly.