Meath stroll in the summer sun

Royals march into Tailteann Cup semi-finals with comfortable victory over Wexford

There haven't been many 'Carlsberg' days for Meath to enjoy in recent years, but today's 2-23 to 0-12 Tailteann Cup quarter-final win over Wexford at Pairc Tailteann certainly helped quench a thirst for Royal followers.

Almost everything Meath touched turned to gold. Wexford weren't the threat they suggested they might be with their trouncing of Offaly last week and some of their earlier season form, but they still had to be dealt with.

The old adage that 'you can only beat what's put in front of you' rang true for Meath, but it was the manner of the performance that put a spring in the step of the Meath supporters in the 3,000 crowd.

Wexford weren't up to much. They left huge gaps at the back which the outstanding Jordan Morris, James McEntee and Aaron Lynch exploited. On the front foot they caused very few problems too with the Meath full-back line solid, Padraic Harnan a rock at centre-back and Sean Brennan alert and excellent when he needed to be.

The performance was certainly encouraging, but as Colm O'Rourke told the Meath Chronicle after the game, that is now 'boxed away' and the team will refocus ahead of next Sunday's semi-final in Croke Park.

Meath got off to a dream start. They could do no wrong. The hosts scored 1-11 in the opening 22 minutes. Conceded just one point in that spell and ran Wexford ragged with their perfect blend of long, direct football and neat, tidy passing.

The efforts exerted in that opening spell led to an understandable dip in intensity in the closing 14 minutes of the half as the Royals managed just one further score, but the reality of the situation was that Meath could afford to catch their breath, take their foot off the gas.

Even when playing against the wind in the second-half Meath were equally as creative and impressive. They kicked a further 1-11 in the second period and while Wexford did enjoy a little more luck in front of the posts O'Rourke's side were never seriously threatened.

It took Jordan Morris just 21 seconds to show that he was in the mood. He sold a mesmerising dummy that drew gasps from the crowd before slotting over the opening score and 90 seconds later Meath produced a perfect patch of pinpoint play to set up McEntee for the first of his six-point haul.

Almost five minutes past before Morris added Meath's third score, but by the 11th minute McEntee had lofted over another two and Morris pointed his third to make it 0-6 to 0-0.

It wasn't just up front where Meath were magic. They worked ferociously hard to preserve their defence too and from one such turnover Harnan won possession back and fed Lynch who picked out a brilliant ball to Morris who caught spectacularly before selling another dummy and lofting over.

Lynch got in on the Morris-McEntee scoring show with a point that had ice on the ball before it dropped over the bar to make it 0-8 to 0-0 by the 15th minute.

Eoghan Nolan opened Wexford's account three minutes later, but the one-way traffic continued to speed along towards the hospital end goals with McEntee adding to his tally.

The opening goal in the 20th minute was a moment of genius from Lynch and put the issue to bed.

Jack Flynn played a brilliant ball into the Trim man. Lynch teased and turned Eoin Porter inside out before somehow beating Darragh Brooks with a low finish at his near post to make it 1-9 to 0-1.

Morris (mark) and Costello (free) extended that lead to 13 points as Meath eased off the gas and took a deserved attacking breather.

While the attackers caught their breath the rearguard held firm, conceding just two points to Glen Malone and Nolan either side of a Paraic Hughes goal chance that was brilliantly snuffed out by Donal Keogan.

After going almost 14 minutes without a score Meath closed the opening half with the last point as Lynch linked up with Sean Coffey to ensure a 1-12 to 0-3 interval lead.

Any indication that Meath might rest on their laurels for the second-half never materialised.

Mark Rossiter pointed two frees either side of a similar score from Costello before Meath responded with three more from play, two from the outstanding McEntee and one from Flynn, to make it 1-16 to 0-5.

McEntee, who contributed six points just a few hours after completing a week of night shifts as a Doctor in Blanchardstown Hospital, was given a standing ovation when he was called ashore for a well earned break, but that didn't blunt Meath's attacking punch.

Hughes added Wexford's sixth point in the 51st minute, but McEntee's replacement, Daithi McGowan, made his own impact with three excellent points to extend Meath's lead to 1-19 to 0-6.

In between those scores Brennan did well to deny Ben Brosnan and Richard Waters. After that Costello, Morris and Eoghan Frayne traded points with Liam Coleman, Brosnan (free) and Jonathan Bealin (son of former Dublin player and Wexford manager, Paul) as the gap remained at 14 points.

Brosnan and Waters added points for Wexford before a brilliant move involving Ciaran Caulfield, Donal Lenihan and Costello set up Cathal Hickey for Meath's second goal and after Porter closed Wexford's account it was Costello who brought the curtain down on a 'Carlsberg' performance with the last score of the game.

SCORERS

Meath - Jordan Morris 0-6 one mark; James McEntee 0-6; Aaron Lynch 1-2; Mathew Costello 0-4 two frees; Daithi McGowan 0-3; Cathal Hickey 1-0; Jack Flynn 0-1; Eoghan Frayne 0-1.

Wexford - Mark Rossiter 0-2 frees; Ben Brosnan 0-2 frees; Eoghan Nolan 0-2; Glen Malone 0-1; Paraic Hughes 0-1; Liam Coleman 0-1; Jonathan Bealin 0-1; Richard Waters 0-1; Eoin Porter 0-1.

TEAMS

Meath - Sean Brennan; Adam O'Neill, Ronan Ryan, Harry O'Higgins; Donal Keogan, Padraic Harnan, Sean Coffey; Jack Flynn, Conor Gray; Cathal Hickey, James McEntee, Jack O'Connor; Jordan Morris, Mathew Costello, Aaron Lynch. Subs - Donal Lenihan for Lynch half-time, Daithi McGowan for McEntee 47m, Ciaran Caulfield for Keogan 49m, Cillian O'Sullivan for Flynn 50m, Eoghan Frayne for O'Connor 58m.

Wexford - Darragh Brooks; Brian Cushe, Dylan Furlong, Conor Carty; Eoin Porter, Glen Malone, Paraic Hughes; Liam Coleman, Niall Hughes; Brian Molloy, Eoghan Nolan, Kevin O'Grady; Robbie Brooks, Mark Rossiter, Alan Tobin. Subs - Richard Waters for O'Grady, Ben Brosnan for Brooks both 49m, Cian Hughes for Tobin 55m, Cathal Walsh for Furlong 58m, Jonathan Bealin for Nolan 64m.

Referee - Brendan Griffin (Kerry).