Royals head for Qualifiers as Dublin stroll on
MEEXIT! And unlike the one across the Irish Sea you couldn’t really say that you didn’t see it coming.
If there was an element of surprise in this exit from the Leinster SFC at Croke Park on Sunday evening it had to be the manner with which the Meath men rolled over.
Meek, tame, call it what you like but this was sad and embarrassing from a Meath perspective. It brought home the reality of how far the Royals have fallen off the pace in the province, with few signs that they are capable of turning the corner anytime soon.
Despite being in contention when just three points in arrears at the break there was never a chance that Meath were going to cause the shock of the championship year.
At best the outing resembled little more than a training spin for the Dubs who toyed with their opponents for long periods and rarely had to move up the gears.
Dublin failed to score a goal for the first time in a Leinster tie since the 2010 defeat to the Royals but they will hardly have sleepless nights about that aspect of their win.
In the face of a packed Meath rearguard the Dubs were content to take their points, nine of which came courtesy of placed balls from Dean Rock.
They never created a genuine goal opportunity as they nonchalantly strolled to victory.
Apart from ensuring that Dublin didn’t find the net Meath lacked ideas throughout the pitch as the champions played keep-ball for long spells.
Indeed Meath made it easy for their opponents as they failed to push up on Stephen Cluxton’s kick-outs with most going uncontested.
What was even more alarming was that Mick O’Dowd’s charges continued with extra bodies at the back throughout, failing to make any sort of bid to have a go or put the Dubs under pressure - damage limitation at its best, or should that be worst.
In the build up to the game the Meath boss had emphasized the importance of taking every scoring opportunity that came their way. However that theory was blown out of the water in the opening five minutes as Dalton McDonagh spurned a great chance to rattle the Dublin net at the Hill 16 end of the ground.
The Na Fianna man did well to round marker David Byrne but then failed to take two chances of finding the net, mis-kicking before the ball fell kindly for him again and this time the combination of Byrne and Cluxton managed to snuff out the danger.
Mickey Newman kicked a number of spectacular points from placed ball in the first half before his confidence and accuracy deserted him in the second half.
Within a minute of the restart he had a great goal chance after winning possession in front of the posts but made a complete hash of his shot.
The Kilmainham man followed that up with a brace of wides when he looked odds on to score.
Cillian O’Sullivan also kicked wide from a relatively easy free and it ensured that the Dubs didn’t have to raise a gallop at any stage.
Meath started the game as if they meant business with Graham Reilly firing over the opening score on 50 seconds.
Bernard Brogan replied at the other end before Cillian O’Sullivan regained the lead from a free. Reilly added a third point on nine minutes as Dublin tallied five early wides.
Two Dean Rock frees restored parity before midfielder Brian Fenton edged Dublin ahead for the first time following a patient build-up on the quarter hour mark.
Newman with a 46 metre free brought the sides level midway through the half before Rock was again on target from a free to give Dublin a lead they weren’t to relinquish.
Newman converted two further frees and when Eamon Wallace finished a flowing move it left the score at 0-9 to 0-7 on 26 minutes.
Diarmuid Connolly had earlier hit two super scores for Dublin and while Meath were forced to work hard for their scores Dublin’s seemed to come almost effortlessly.
Rock and Cillian O’Sullivan swapped points before the fit again Paul Flynn pointed in added time to leave it 0-11 to 0-8 at the break.
Meath needed a boost at the start of the second half but instead they had to take a few sucker-punches, all of their own making.
Newman failed to connect when a goal chance presented itself and the challengers then hit three successive wides, all of which should have been scores, before Newman struck his only point from play on 45 minutes.
The introduction of Michael Darragh Macauley at the start of the second half was paying dividends for Dublin as Rock had added two further scores to his tally. The signs were becoming more ominous after Bernard Brogan and Rock (two) had further points to leave it 0-16 to 0-9.
Dublin were sauntering at that stage while Meath were struggling to get their hands on the ball.
Graham Reilly hit his third point following good work by O’Sullivan but another 21 minutes elapsed before Meath added to their tally.
Their final score in the fourth minute of added time came from substitute Ronan Jones and there was still enough time for another sub Joey Wallace to pick up a black card leaving Meath to finish with 14 men.
DUBLIN: Stephen Cluxton; David Byrne, Johnny Cooper, Philly McMahon; John Small, Cian O’Sullivan, James McCarthy; Brian Fenton 0-1, Denis Bastick; Paul Flynn 0-2, Ciaran Kilkenny, Diarmuid Connolly 0-4; Kevin McManamon, Dean Rock 0-10 (9f), B. Brogan 0-3. Subs: MD Macauley for Bastick (h/t), Paul Mannion 0-1 for Brogan (53), Paddy Andrews for McManamon (58), Eric Lowndes for Small (60), Michael Fitzsimons for O’Sullivan (63), Con O’Callaghan for Flynn (67).
MEATH: Paddy O’Rourke; Donal Keogan, Mickey Burke, Darragh Smyth; Alan Douglas, Donnacha Tobin, Cian O’Brien; Harry Rooney, Andrew Tormey; Eamon Wallace 0-1, Graham Reilly 0-3, Padraic Harnan; Mickey Newman 0-4 (3f), Cillian O’Sullivan 0-2 (1f), Dalton McDonagh. Subs: Ronan Jones 0-1 for Tormey (53), Seamus Lavin for Wallace (55); Sean Tobin for McDonagh (60); Joey Wallace for Reilly (63); Cathal Finn for Douglas (67); Bryan McMahon for O’Sullivan (68). J. Wallace (BC 76). REF: Rory Hickey (Clare).