Minor final failure as Dublin turn on the style

Dublin powered past Meath in the Leinster MFC final at Croke Park on Sunday with a blistering second-half performance for a thoroughly deserved victory. Meath can have no complaints about the outcome because on this occasion Dublin were far superior in all departments and the challenge now for under-age chiefs in the Royal County is to match that standard. Munster champions Tipperary await in the All-Ireland quarter-final in what will be a repeat of an earlier Leinster MFL clash which Meath won by a point. "We gave it our best shot, Dublin were the better team and we will have to try to get to that level, we are about two or three years from that, but we should get there as the structures are now in place for development of our young players," manager Davy Dalton told the Meath Chronicle. Meath showed plenty of spirit and determination and never gave up chasing the game, but they just couldn't cope with a much stronger Dublin side that dictated in most departments. Injuries once again deprived Meath of Conor McGill at full-back although Barry McConnon proved an able deputy while the rest of the defence worked tigerishly and even got forward with Anthony Forde, Cathal Finn and Declan Smyth all registering points. Dublin made a blistering start with a Gavin Ivory point after only 14 seconds, but Wille McGrath had Meath on terms a minute later with an excellent score from play. Dublin's highly-rated dual star Ciaran Kilkenny converted a third minute free, but Meath replied instantly when corner back Forde split the posts. Dublin took control briefly and forged ahead with points from Ivory and Paul Mannion before Neil Shorthall got Meath going again in the 10th minute from a free after Forde was impeded. The Royals were on terms by the end of the opening quarter when Cathal Smith and McGrath combined to make an opening for wing-back Finn who split the posts. Cathal Smith missed a brace of frees and Dublin took control again as Patrick O'Higgins and Emmet O Conghaile pulled the strings at midfield. Scott Fulham pointed the hosts in front again, but battling Meath came back once more when Dunsany's Declan Smyth got on the end of McMahon's centre and his fisted effort skimmed the top of the crossbar. That score boosted Meath and they enjoyed their best period. McMahon and Cillian O'Sullivan worked hard and a goal chance arrived in the 20th minute. Shane McEntee, Bobby O'Brien and Forde combined to make the opening and McMahon was composed enough to finish to the net. Soon after Meath lost possession unnecessarily and gifted Kilkenny a point chance and it got worse when Ivory charged through from midfield unchallenged and found Fulham who gave Robert Burlingham no chance. At that stage Dublin looked very comfortable and reeled off points from O Conghaile (two) and Cormac Costello as Meath coughed up possession too often although Cathal Smith's point left them adrift by only three, 1-6 to 1-9, at the interval. Cathal Smith's reward was a place on the bench for the second-half with Oldcastle's Robert Farrelly taking over at full-forward. The change made no difference and Meath managed a paltry five second-half points from McMahon (three), O'Sullivan and substitute Seamus Mattimoe, as Dublin called the shots. When Costello found the net towards the end of the third-quarter it finished the game as a contest. That goal gave Dublin a 2-12 to 1-7 advantage and Meath goalkeeper Burlingham produced a couple of smart late saves that kept the scoreboard respectable. SCORERS Dublin - G Ivory 0-6, one '45'; C Costello 1-2; S Fulham 1-2; E O Conghaile 0-2; P Mannion 0-2; J McCaffrey 0-2; C Kilkenny 0-2, one free. Meath - B McMahon 1-3, two frees; C Smith 0-1; W McGrath 0-1; N Shorthall 0-1; C Finn 0-1; D Smyth 0-1; A Forde 0-1; S Mattimoe 0-1; C O'Sullivan 0-1. THE TEAMS Dublin - R O'Hanlon; G Hannigan, R McDaid, R Real; E Lowndes, J Small, J McCaffrey; P O'Higgins, E O Conghaile; G Ivory, D Campbell, C Costello; S Fulham, C Kilkenny, P Mannion. Subs - S Carthy for Campbell 37 mins, E Boyne for Lowndes 55m, E Archibald for Fulham 55m, R Noonan for O Conghaile 59m. Meath - Robert Burlingham (Simonstown Gaels); Anthony Forde (Moynalvey), Barry McConnon (Killary Emmets), Oran Fitzpatrick (Clann na nGael); Cathal Finn (Dunboyne), Shane Melia (Donaghmore/Ashbourne), Declan Smyth (Dunsany); Padraig Harnan (Moynalvey), Shane McEntee (Dunboyne); Neil Shorthall (St Vincent's/Curraha), Bobby O'Brien (Ratoath), Cillian O'Sullivan (Moynalvey); Brian McMahon (Ratoath), Cathal Smith (Navan O'Mahonys), William McGrath (Ballinlough/Inny Gaels). Subs - Robert Caffrey (Oldcastle) for Smith half-time, Seamus Mattimoe (Round Towers) for Shorthall 38mins, Niall Hannon (Dunshaughlin) for Forde 38m, Oliver Sheridan (Moynalty) for Smyth 52m. REFEREE Fergal Kelly (Longford).