Meath…2-09
Louth…1-07
Late goals from substitutes Liam Jennings and Ben Corkery (penalty) completed a remarkable turnaround for Meath as they kept on the more straightforward route to progress in the Leinster MFC following this pulsating encounter at Defy Pairc Mhuire in Ardee on Wednesday evening.
It was with his first touch of the ball that Blackhall Gaels clubman Jennings fisted to the net with four minutes of normal time remaining to leave Meath a point up and, then, six minutes later, livewire Corkery buried what turned out to be the last score of the game after an unfortunate Louth defender was adjudged to have picked the ball off the ground in the small square.
That’s the conclusion of the game fairly well summarised but it tells only a fraction of the story of a truly magnificent match. Things got off to a rather pedantic beginning and, though there were plenty of thoroughly satisfying manly exchanges, scores were hard enough to come by at either end.
Meath lost powerful midfielder Michael McIvor to a head injury early on and while his sidekick and team captain Eamon Armstrong was possibly lucky not to join him on the sideline for different reasons, had the Duleek-Bellewstown lad been forced off it would’ve been utterly catastrophic for the green and gold’s ambitions.
Between his ball-winning ability and the industry of Cian Commons and John Harkin up top, they stayed upsides the Wee County throughout a back and forth first half and only the impecable accuracy of corner forward Adam Crosbie edged the locals into a one point lead at the turnaround.
However, early in the second half, when the classy No. 13 replicated the superb score essayed home by Joe Kavanagh of Cork in the 1999 All Ireland SFC Final, Meath’s goose seemed destined for the pre-heated oven at least.
Sometimes, though, you just get a sign. Tonight, that meant Dunboyne’s Harkin lofting over just seconds after Brayden Colfer had emptied his onion bag.
Furthermore, though he had been influential throughout the evening, Armstrong really took over the aerial battles and – although not scoring himself – really did lead the charge as Harkin and Oisin O’Neill and Oisin Yore lofted over terrific scores to keep the sides neck and neck before the late drama got Stephen Morgan’s men over the line.
Though only after a magnificent save by Colfer when the fat was still in the fire.
MEATH – B. Colfer (Slane); O. O’Neill (Dunderry, 0-1), J. Gormley (Gaeil Colmcille), N. Maguire (St Colmcille’s); T. Lenehan (Skryne), T. Sheridan (Oldcastle), D. Donnelly (Bective); C. Commons (Seneschalstown, 0-1), M. McIvor (St Vincent’s); C. Duggan (St Peter’s, Dunboyne), E. Armstrong (Duleek-Bellewstown, Capt.), P. Crawley (Oldcastle); J. Harkin (St Peter’s, Dunboyne 0-6, 4F), B. Smyth (Skryne), C. Liggan (Dunderry).
SUBS – O. Yore (Carnaross, 0-1) for McIvor, B. Corkery (Clann Na nGael, 1-0) for Smyth, R. Crawley (Oldcastle) for P. Crawley), L. Jennings (Blackhall Gaels, 1-0) for Donnelly, O. Moloney (Walterstown) for Duggan, C. Yore (St Ultan’s) for Harkin.
Referee: Dan Stynes (Dublin)
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