St Colmcille’s trio make mark with junior Royals
Meath 1-17 Wexford 0-10
MEATH will be seeking a first provincial football title since that infamous day in Croke Park in 2010 when they return to the scene of the ‘crime’ to lock horns with Louth following this JFC semi-final win at Pairc Tailteann last Wednesday evening.
Wexford, with former Royal County boss Seamus McEnaney in charge, were on the trail of a three-in-a-row after being crowned Leinster champions for the past two seasons. But although the Model County led briefly in the opening half, Meath dominated throughout the second period to run out convincing winners.
Meath manager Conor O’Donoghue made four changes from the side that started in the win over Kildare, with St Colmcille’s trio Adam Lynch, Joe Sweeney and James Conlon getting the nod along with Curraha’s Conor Moriarty.
‘One or two guys were unavailable to us for very good reasons,’ O’Donoghue said afterwards. ‘We trained over the last while and we tried to focus mainly on eye-balling the guys to see where they are at.
‘All the lads that came in this evening did a really good job and the guys that came in for those guys also did a good job, so it is a very difficult thing when you’ve had a few really good performances and you have 20 or 21 guys staring out at you that should be playing.
‘Louth are going to be hungry for it in the final - they will be looking to redeem themselves after the performance of their seniors,’ O’Donoghue continued.
‘It’s in Croke Park and we will be ready too of course - a local derby, two counties that go hammer and tongs at it whenever they meet - and I don’t expect anything different the next day.’
The exchanges throughout the opening period were dour enough after the sides had exchanges points twice in the first four minutes. Kevin Ross (pictured right) had Meath off the mark within 20 seconds of the start and Daire Rowe pointed a free in response to points from Sean Ryan and Jake Firman (free).
Wexford led again following a second point from Ryan, but Rowe’s third point - and first from play - left the sides level at 0-4 each in the end of the opening quarter.
A good spell for the home side resulted in further points for Conor Moriarty, James Conlon and Declan Smyth, before Wexford hit back with a brace of scores to leave it 0-7 to 0-6 in Meath’s favour at half-time.
Meath started the second period in impressive style with five successive points to go 0-12 to 0-6 clear by the 41st minute.
Two of those points came from the impressive Paddy Kennelly, while Rowe added a brace and Ben Brennan was also on the mark.
Mark Rossiter had Wexford’s first point of the half from a free on 42 minutes andd the holders rallied briefly after that and managedthe deficit toretto reduce two points.
However, Meath responded in fine style with scores from Kennellyy and substitutess Stephen Cooganan (two) and Jasonson Scully. That left them six clear,to the and decidertheir he ir pas cider passagewas as-assured at that stage.
Kevin Ross added further gloss to the Meath performance by netting from the penalty spot following a foul on Jason Scully two minutes from the finish. It resulted in a black card for Wexford keeper Richard Farrell.
MEATH: Johnny Lynch; Adam Lynch, Luke Moran, Michael Flood; David Toner 0-1, Declan Smyth 0-1, Joe Sweeney; Adam Flanagan, Conor Farrell; Paddy Kennelly 0-3, Ben Brennan 0-1, Conor Moriarty 0-1; JameJames Conlon 0-1, Daire Rowe 0-5 (4f), Kevin Ross 1-1 (11-0 pen). Subs: KeKevin Traynor for SmSmyth (31min), JasoJason Scully 0-1 for MorMoriarty (37), Stephen pheStephen Coogan 0-2 for Conlon (47), CatCathal McConnell for Brennan (59).
WEXFORD: R FarreFarrell; P O’Keeffe, C Lane,Lan D Redmond; D Bolger,Bolge P Devine, T Rossiter;Rossite P Devereux 0-2, T Byrne 0-1; J Firman 0-1f, M Rossiter 0-01f, S Kelly 0-1; J Stafford, S Ryan 0-3, R Nolan.N Subs: L Devereux for Stafford (23min), J Roche 0-1 for O’Keeffe (31), J Swords for Bolger (40), M Doyle for Redmond (58), N Greene for Farrell (BC 59).
REF: David Hickey (Carlow)