Under-20s on on wrong end of a drubbing

DID someone suggest recently that the gap between Dublin and the rest was closing?

Well, there were few signs of it in this Leinster U-20 FC semi-final, from a Meath viewpoint at least, as holders Dublin romped to an emphatic victory and a final meeting with Laois.

A Meath side made up mostly of players who tasted provincial success at U-17 and Minor level in successive years, were on the receiving end of a right walloping from a Dublin outfit that controlled matters throughout the hour.

The outcome left many supporters to question the state of the game in the county following this latest drubbing.

And a drubbing it was, as Meath at no stage put it up to the hosts, producing very poor fare throughout. The Meath play, disjointed from start to finish, was littered with elementary mistakes and it ensured that Dublin, who also hit 14 wides, had a relatively easy passage to the decider.

Meath, who were without the injured Shane Walsh, won the toss but decided to play against the stiff breeze in the opening half. The signs were ominous from the early stages as the Dubs raced into a 1-4 to 0-0 lead by the eighth minute. That task grew greater as the half progressed and at the

Dublin Meath 2-14 0-7

break Dublin enjoyed a 1-8 to 0-3 advantage.

It was game, set and match within three minutes of the restart as Dublin banged in a goal and also hit a quick point to lead 2-9 to 0-3. Meath heads dropped after that and it proved a painful exercise from there to the finish.

Dublin’s opening goal arrived after Meath kicked away possession from a free and the impressive Lorcan O’Dell and Ciaran Archer combined to set up Luke Swan who bundled the ball over the line on three minutes.

Meath were eventually off the mark from a Luke Mitchell free on 13 minutes and Liam Byrne then converted a ’45 to leave it 1-4 to 0-2. However, they had to wait until first half added time for their next score from a Jordan Morris free.

Ciaran Archer, Luke Swan and O’Dell proved a handful in the Dublin attack, while Evan Caulfield powered through from midfield to hit two points in the half.

Meath needed to start the second half on the front foot, but instead it was Dublin who all but wrapped up the match in a three-minute spell. First, O’Dell was allowed to solo through unchallenged before finishing with a low shot to the net. Midfielder Caulfield then pointed to strengthen Dublin’s grip.

Cian Rogers had Meath’s opening point from play on 39 minutes, but the Meath attack struggled to put the opposition defence under any real pressure and Dublin were content to keep the scoreboard ticking over as they won at a canter.

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MEATH:

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