O’Dell and Archer run Royals ragged as Dubs advance
LORCAN O’DELL and Ciaran Archer bagged 1-2 apiece as Dublin overcame Meath 2-14 to 0-7 in the Leinster Under 20 semi-final at Parnell Park.
Archer, the only player remaining on Dublin’s U20 panel after last year’s All-Ireland final defeat to Cork, got off to a flying start, grabbing a goal in the early stages.
The loss of Shane Walsh was detrimental to the Royals’ forward line, the Na Fianna man ruled out due to his involvement with Andy McEntee’s senior team for today’s trip to Kerry in Fitzgerald Stadium.
Aided by the breeze, the men from the capital kept their county neighbours to just three points from frees in the first half and things didn’t get much better for the Royal County.
O’Dell was a constant thorn in Meath’s side at centre-forward and got his goal three minutes after the interval to put any hope of an unlikely Meath comeback to bed.
Laois await the Dubs in the provincial decider after they beat Kildare at
O’Moore Park on Friday night. A first-half goal from Damon Larkin proved decisive as the Eddie Kinsella’s side ran out 1-7 to 0-4 winners.
Meanwhile, Donegal booked their place in the Ulster U20 semi-final after a dramatic penalty shootout victory over Tyrone. Donegal are proving the most value in the U20 championship this year. They needed extra-time and penalties to get past Monaghan in the previous round, and the same was true yesterday.
The sides finished 2-8 to 1-11 at the full-time whistle and a cagey extra-time period produced just one point apiece.
Penalties are a rare occurrence in knockout football and Tyrone seemed short of practise. A number of missed kicks set up Caolan McGroddy to become Donegal’s hero, and he dispatched the decisive penalty to secure a 3-1 win.
In the other Ulster semifinal, Down ran out six-point victors over Cavan.
In Connacht, Cathal Sweeney was instrumental as Galway advanced to the U20 provincial decider with a comfortable win over Leitrim.
The Tribesmen will now take on Roscommon in the final.