MEATH… 4-08
LAOIS… 1-10
Eamon Armstrong’s goal in the first of seven minutes of injury time gave the full time score a fairer reflection of Meath’s superiority – particularly in the second half – of this tempestuous Leinster U-20 FC quarter final in Ashbourne.
Tempers initially frayed towards the end of normal time when Conor McWeeney was ridiculously sent off after HE was struck off the ball. At that stage, some semblence of order was restored and Armstrong’s ‘major’ put matters pertaining to the scoreboard beyond reasonable doubt.
Between colleagues and I none of us were exactly sure what caused the dust up, because it appeared the players were leaving the field and then all hell let loose.
It’s quite probable there’ll be more to be heard about it and you’d just hope the fallout wouldn’t adversely affect Meath’s chances in the semi final against Kildare. On that, one wonders is it purely coincidence that our lads had to travel to play both Dublin and Kildare.
They certainly didn’t waste any time about setting themselves on the road to Hawkfield. Copying the initiative of his clubmate Darragh Campion two days earlier, John O’Regan gathered loose ball from the throw in and the Skryne lad’s long ball put Jamie Murphy in behind the Laois defence whereupon the St Patrick’s player shot low and hard to the net.
Then, towering full forward Cian Commons benefitted from another long ball – this time from Jack Kinlough – gathering possession about 45 metres out and lofted over a majestic point.
Though sadly it turned out to be his final contribution with him being forced off with an injury very shortly thereafter. That was only the first potentially expensive blow for Meath, but before Offaly official Fintan Pierce belated called a halt to proceedings, senior panelist Brian O’Halloran also had to be replaced following a lenghty injury stoppage.
***
However, in between all that, a game of football did actually break out. Murphy netted for a second time while Conor Duke and O’Halloran and skipper Liam Kelly sent over superb points as the home side led by 2-04 to 1-05 before turning to play down the hill at the Killegland venue.
The introduced Hughie Corcoran was his usual buzzy self when entering the fray for the second half and tagged on two vital points – at a time when Laois had not only worked themselves back into the game but actually hit the front. Before Hughie’s second brought O’Bric’s boys back to parity almost immediately.
Then, the alert and ever improving Rian McConnell summarily punished a catastrophic Laois kickout to plant the pigskin in their onion bag before Armstrong’s bit of individual brilliance rounded off the night’s work.
You’d just hope the ‘afters’ doesn’t become more of a story than the main event.
SCORERS – J. Murphy (2-2), E. Armstrong and R. McConnell (1-0 each), H. Corcoran (0-2), B. O’Halloran, L. Kelly, C. Duke and C. Commons (0-1 each).
MEATH – O. McDermott; B. O’Halloran, L. Kelly, S. O’Hare; E. Armstrong, J. O’Regan, K. Smyth; J. Kinlough, C. O’Connor; S. Leonard, J. Harkin, C. Duke; J. Murphy, C. Commons, R. McConnell.
SUBS – C. McWeeney for Commons, H. Corcoran for Harkin, C. Ennis for Smyth, T. Martyn for Leonard, J. Finnerty for O’Halloran, S. Emmaneul for O’Connor.
Referee: Fintan Pierce (Offaly)
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