SEAN WALL

MEATH KILDARE 2-11 1-13

AFTER recording a 22-point victory over Wicklow in the opening round, Meath just had the minimum to spare in round two of the Leinster U-20 FC at Pairc Tailteann on Monday afternoon.

There was little to choose between the teams up until Meath captain Daragh Campion found himself in space and he produced a fine finish to the net and leave Meath ahead for only the second time on 42 minutes.

Five minutes later substitute Jordan Morris added a second goal to leave the Royals leading 2-10 to 0-11 and seemingly heading for a comfortable win. However, Kildare fought back, and boosted by a Jimmy Hyland goal on 53 minutes they had the deficit back to a single point. Sub Morris doubled Meath’s advantage with a long-range effort before Brian McLoughlin converted a free at the other end to again reduce the deficit to one on 56 minutes.

The closing passages proved nail-biting, but Meath managed to hold out for a crucial win.

It had taken Meath eight minutes to open their account, with strong-running midfielder Campion on target. The Skryne man had earlier failed to hit the target when he looked set to find the net.

Kildare, who had early points from Tony Archbold and Paddy Woodgate, also spurned an early goal opportunity, with Jimmy Hyland’s effort deflected out for a 45.

It took St Colmcille’s man James Conlon a while to find his range, but when he did he proved a constant threat and by the end of the half had accounted for three points.

The Lillywhites led by two points at various stages of the half before Meath went ahead for the only time in the half following a pointed free from Frank O’Reilly on 25 minutes.

However, Kildare out-scored the home side three points to one to lead 0-9 to 0-8 at the break. MEATH: Adam McDermott; Robbie Clarke, Conor Harnan, Kieran Slavin; Sean Reilly 0-1, Eanna O’Kelly Lynch, Sean Ryan; Daragh Campion 1-1, Adam Murphy; Eoin Smyth, Ethan Devine, Frank O’Reilly 0-3 (2f); Conor Moriarty 0-1, Conor O’Byrne, James Conlon 0-4. Subs: Jason Scully for Moriarty (h-t), Jordan Morris 1-1 for O’Byrne. (36), Adam Kealy for Reilly (40), Shane McDonnell for O’Reilly (55), James Cassidy for Smyth (61), KILDARE: Aaron O’Neill; DJ Earley, Jack Barrett, Mark Dempsey; Mark Barrett, Jason Gibbons, Ruadhan O Giollan 0-1; Aaron Masterson, David Marnell 0-1; Brian McLoughlin 0-4 (3f), Sam Doran 0-1, Tony Archbold 0-1; Jimmy Hyland 1-3 (2f), Paddy Woodgate 0-2, Darragh Ryan. Subs: Padraig Nash for Doran, Cian Costigan for Barrett (both 36), Shane O’Sullivan for Marnell (43), Stephen Comerford for O Giollan, N Murphy for Woodgate (both 51).

REF: Patrick Maguire (Longford)