MEATH… 5-19
CARLOW… 2-09
Cathal O’Bric’s Meath U-20 footballers got the county’s quest for a third consecutive provincial final appearance with a 19 point win at Netwatch Dr Cullen Park on Wednesday night.
With the greatest respect to the host county, no matter what way the evening went for the young Royals, they were on the greatest of hidings to nothing. Win and reaction would’ve been “It was only Carlow”. If it went wrong, well, that didn’t bare thinking about.
So essentially, it was only a matter of taking care of business and moving on. Which is exactly what this well drilled, highly skilled group of lads did. With any underage team, the boon for me is (a) knowing the conveyor belt of talent is still chugging along and (b) when ‘new’ talent emerges that yours truly will gladly admit to not having heard of, but who leave a lasting first impression.
Allow me to explain – in one of the above brackets, you had the likes of Cillian Yore, Sam Jordan, Michael McIvor, John Harkin, Ben Corkery and Cian Commons – all of whom were on their second or in some cases third campaign working with An Priomhide O’Bric.
But, on the other hand, you had newer names (to me at least) such as Finn Moore, Colin Scanlon, Kyle O’Brien, Paul Hennessy and Cormac O’Donoghue.
In reality, Meath never allowed it become a contest from the time Commons opened the scoring with a two pointer. The ever-lively Ben Corkery then clipped over his usual quota of points before Dunboyne’s John Harkin followed Commons as the pair netted twice in quick succession before the visitors essayed a plethora of points from the boots of Cormac Smith, team captain McIvor, Harkin, Stephen Cahill, Commons and O’Donoghue.
That left O’Bric’s boys clear by 2-11 to 0-04 on the run in to half time. However, as if to underline the work that all counties put in with underage players and the impact the Jim Gavin rules have had on the game, it was Damian Farrell’s home team finished the half the stronger with quickfire goals from Jake Nolan and Daniel Bolger.
That meant the eventual winners led by 2-11 to 2-04 having played with whatever advantage was to be gained from having the chilly midweek wind.
That said, what Jimmy changing matches has also done is forced teams to plan for and read games differently than ever would have been the case up to press. Thus, even with the seven point lad, there’s no room for easing up as a couple of two pointers can turn things on their head.
Which is why, led by Harkin, the green and gold visibly kicked on after the break. The Dunboyne man raising his second green flag before Ratoath’s Adam Ducie put an even bigger exclamation mark against his contribution when filling the scallion eaters’ onion bag twice in the dying embers.
Undoubtedly, greater tests will await but for now it was a case of job done, move on.
Scorers – J. Harkin (2-5, 1x2PT, 1F), C. Commons (1-3, 1x2PT), A. Ducie (2-0), S. Cahill (0-4), B. Corkery (0-3), M. McIvor (0-2, 2PT), C. Smith and C. O’Donoghue (0-1 each).
MEATH – F. Moore (Rathkenny); C. Yore (St Ultan’s), S. Jordan (Na Fianna), S. Callaghan (Gaeil Colmcille); C. Smith (Clann Na nGael), C. Scanlon (Seneschalstown), K. O’Brien (St Colmcille’s); M. McIvor (St Vincent’s, Capt.), P. Hennessy (Oldcastle); E. McCrudden (St Peter’s, Dunboyne), J. Harkin (St Peter’s, Dunboyne), S. Cahill (Dunsany); B. Corkery (Clann Na nGael), C. Commons (Seneschalstown), C. O’Donoghue (St Colmcille’s).
SUBS – A. Ducie (Ratoath) for O’Donoghue, C. McEntee (Walterstown) for McCrudden, J. Gormley (Gaeil Colmcille) for Scanlon, S. Delaney (St Peter’s, Dunboyne) for Commons, S. Betson (Navan O’Mahonys) for O’Brien.
Referee – Stephen Fagan (Wicklow).
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