Tyrone class act as they shatter Royals’ dreams
TYRONE MEATH 1-14 0-10
MEATH hopes of All-Ireland Under-17 glory were firmly quashed at the semi-final stage in Kingspan Breffni Park last Wednesday evening.
The Royals went into the game with high expectations, but they were soundly beaten by a Tyrone side that oozed class from start to finish. Ronan Kearns’ team failed to rise to the occasion and indeed the weight of expectation seemed to get to a lot of the players in what was overall a disappointing and nervy display.
Even though they were just two points in arrears following a superb long-range pointed free from captain Liam Byrne on 42 minutes, Meath were a well beaten side long before the finish and indeed they were fortunate just to be seven points in arrears at the final whistle.
St Colmcille’s keeper Lee Browne recovered from a poor start to produce a string of fine saves and keep his side within touching distance for most of the game. Meath, though, were dealt a major blow when Cian McBride was black-carded after 23 minutes.
They conceded a goal after Ethan Jordan finished a Cormac Donnelly centre to the net on 11 minutes but fought back to be four in arrears at half-time, 0-5 to 1-6.
With Darragh Canavan, son of senior legend Peter, pulling the strings at centre forward Tyrone produced some delightful passages of play and responded in brilliant style to imminent danger in the second half with four successive points.
Meath boss Kearns was first to admit that Tyrone were the better side but was full of praise for his own charges, some of whom didn’t do themselves justice on the day.
‘We are bitterly disappointed, but we can’t fault the lads. They gave it their absolute all and they did their clubs, their families and the county proud with the effort they put in. Unfortunately we were second best to Tyrone,’ the St Patrick’s clubman said afterwards.
‘We started off in the opening 20 minutes a little nervous and a little bit tight and we didn’t get to play the way we wanted and there was a fair breeze out there and we probably struggled to cope, and then maybe our decision-making let us down at times.
‘But I thought the lads recovered well in the last 10 minutes of the half and to go in just four points behind against a substantial breeze, we were still confident enough at half-time that we could get the result that we wanted, but it wasn’t to be.
‘Credit to Tyrone, they have their systems, but they also have fine footballers that can execute the core skills exceptionally well.’
Kearns, though, was positive about the future.
‘I’m hoping that this is a stepping stone for our lads, that they can go on and play Under-20 and senior football with Meath. It is development and I hope it stands to them. Although we are disappointed here tonight we have had a good two years with them. We have had Leinster success and these lads are well capable of going on to play senior football with Meath in a few years.’ TYRONE: Lorcan Quinn; Antoin Fox, Matthew McCusker, Conor Ward; Tarlach Quinn, Cormac Monroe, Ruairi Slane; Matthew Murnaghan 0-1, Joe Oguz 0-2; Cormac Donaghy 0-1f, Darragh Canavan 0-3, Daniel Miller; Ethan Jordan 1-2 (1f), Cormac Donnelly 0-1, Thomas Hoy 0-2. Subs: Cormac Quinn for Ward (31min), Mark Hayes for Donaghy (31), Ryan McCabe 0-2 for Hoy (46), Ronan Hollywood for Slane (53), Liam Gray for Jordan (54), Kevin Barker for McCusker (60).
MEATH: Lee Browne (St Colmcille’s); Sean Bannon (Ballinabrackey), Sean Ryan 0-1 (Dunboyne), Michael Gavin (Simonstown); Oran Smullan (Na Fianna), Liam Byrne 0-1f (Dunboyne), Conal Courtney (Gaeil Colmcille); Colm Doherty (Skryne), Fergal Watters (Dunboyne); Cian McBride (St Cuthbert’s), Shane Walsh 0-3f (Na Fianna), Patrick Matthews 0-1 (Drumconrath/Meath Hill); Aaron Lynch 0-1 (Trim), Jordan Morris 0-3, 2f (Nobber), Matthew Costello (Dunshaughlin). Subs: Barry O’Connell (Walterstown for McBride (BC 23min), Dylan Keating (Seneschalstown) for Watters (35), Michael Murphy (Dunboyne) for Bannon (44), Eoin Martin (Dunboyne) for Costello (46), Adam Ryan (Simonstown) for Courtney (48), Jack McMahon (Meath Hill) for Gavin (61).
Barry Tiernan (Dublin)