Under-17s sink the Dubs
MEATH DUBLIN 1-15 1-10
A MEATH team managed a rare success over the Dubs when registering an impressive victory in this Leinster Special Under-17 opening round tie at Pairc Tailteann last Wednesday evening.
For once Meath enjoyed most of the advantages, they were bigger, stronger and more athletic than their opponents, and were much more convincing winners than their five point margin would suggest.
The Royals enjoyed superiority for three quarters of the game and led by 11 points at one stage in the second half, 1-14 to 0-6.
Dublin did manage to produce a late rally, outscoring the hosts 1-4 to 0-1 in the final quarter, to leave a much more respectable look on the scoreboard at the finish.
Such was Meath’s superiority that they never looked like losing at any stage and they had eight points on the scoreboard before Dublin got off the mark. Throughout the opening quarter the hosts played like a side of real quality as they reeled off a succession of points.
With Jordan Morris giving full back Sean Tuke a torrid time Meath were six points to the good after 10 minutes, with three of those coming from the boot of the Nobber man, two from the impressive Shane Walsh while centre back Liam Byrne landed a point from a ‘45.
The game was 18 minutes old before Ciaran Archer got the Dubs off the mark from a free and at that stage Meath had added two further points.
Archer contributed all of his sides tally apart from a single point and proved the only real threat in the Dublin attack. He could have ended with an ever greater tally but his shooting from placed balls was wayward at times. As well as notching all of his sides scores in the opening half, converting three frees, one ‘ 45 and one from play he also struck three efforts wide of the target.
Full forward Morris took his tally to five points before the end of the half with Meath ahead 0-9 to 0-5 at the break.
Dublin had the advantage of the breeze throughout that first half but Meath dominated the kick-outs with Paddy Matthews in fine form at midfield alongside Colm Doherty.
Within five minutes of the second half Meath had increased their lead to six points, 0-12 to 0-6 and they effectively sealed the game when finding the net on 41 minutes.
Again Morris was the creator and finisher and he caught the Dublin defence dozing by playing a short free to Cian McBride and finished the return pass to the net. Matthews cemented Meath’s position a minute later with a fisted point before Morris converted a free. Meath’s play became sloppy in the final quarter and that allowed Dublin get in for scores. Adam Byrne became the only other Dublin player to score when he pointed but there were still nine pointed separating the sides entering added time.
Archer struck for his sides goal in the opening minute of added time when his sweetly struck low effort found the net despite the attention of a number of Meath defenders. The St Maur’s club man completed his tally a minute later.
Meath had full back Sean Ryan red carded just before the final whistle as Dublin produced late pressure.
MEATH: Lee Brown (St Colmcille’s); Sean Bannon (Ballinabrackey), Sean Ryan (Dunboyne), Michael Gavin (Simonstown); Oran Smullen (Na Fianna), Liam Byrne (Dunboyne 0-2 ‘45s’), Conal Courtney (Gaeil Colmcille); Colm Doherty (Skryne), Patrick Matthews (Drumconrath/Meath Hill 0-2); Cian McBride (St Cuthbert’s 0-1), Shane Walsh (Na Fianna 0-3), Barry O’Connell (Walterstown 0-1f); Aaron Lynch (Trim), Jordan Morris (Nobber 1-6, 3f), Matthew Costello (Dunshaughlin). Subs: Fergal Watters (Dunboyne) for O’Connell (h-t), Eoin Martin (Dunboyne) for Costello (42), Conor Harford (St Vincent’s/Curraha) for Gavin (47), Michael Murphy (Dunboyne) for Dylan Keating (52), (Seneschalstown) for Doherty (56).
DUBLIN: L Woodcock; D O’Connell, S Tuke, P McNamara; K Quinn, C Kinsella, K McKeon; N Comerford, F O’Sullivan; D Warnock, C O’Reilly, A Byrne 0-1; F O Ceallaigh, P Purcell, C Archer 1-9 (6f, 1 ‘45’). Subs: S Lowry for O’Reilly (h-t), B O’Leary for O Ceallaigh (43), L Tyrell for McNamara, E Hill for Comerford, E Lyons for Tuke (all 46), J Leonard for Byrne (56).
REFEREE: D Fedigan (Louth)