MEATH… 3-12
LAOIS… 0-10
The final score states there were 11 points between the sides at the end, but don’t fooled. Inclination might be to think that this was a fairly routine night’s work for Cathal O’Bric’s team, but it was anything but.
Now, as if to directly contradict the above statement, Meath never looked like losing under the Ashbourne lights, but, conversely, it was only upon bagging of their third goal by the introduced Pat Crawley that the job could absolutely be considered done.
Stephen Cahill opened Meath’s scoring account with John Harkin following up soon after. At the other end, Eannae Byrne was directing a stern resistance on behalf of the blue and white, the sides were deadlocked at 0-04 apiece as half time approached.
Then, however, Cathal O’Bric’s team engineered a flash of the class which imbues devotees of Meath football with such hope and excitement.
Ben Corkery hitting the net has become a matter of routine because of the class and potential of the Athboy lad, but by the time he did on Wednesday night, another new star had announced himself.
Cormac O’Donoghue from St Colmcille’s. I am guessing he is a brother of Liam who stood out for the Meath Minors against Louth last week. Either way, my in laws’ club have two rising stars on their hands.
Thus, after the two corner forwards had banked ‘majors’ it meant the locals led by 2-04 to 0-07 at the change of ends.
Knowing the man for more than 30 years, I don’t believe it’s O’Bric’s way to give a team a bollicking, but, his charges were certainly more invigorated after the break and they went on to establish their authority as such.
Cormac Smith, Sam Jordan, Shane Callaghan and Kyle O’Brien took control of matters at the back, Paul Hennessey began to flourish around the middle and Eoin McCrudden grew into the game in that general area too.
The upshot of all of which was that with 11 minutes to go, Meath were leading by 2-11 to 0-06 and in a position to empty their bench.
Which saw Charlie Gallagher, Liam Jennings, Adam Ducie and Pat Crawley enter the fray. Each of them made their own mark too, with Oldcastle’s Crawley getting on the end of a great team move to raise the third green flag before Jennings closed out the scoring with a sweet strike off his right.
Scorers – C. O’Donoghue (1-2), B. Corkery (1-1), P. Crawley (1-0), J. Harkin (0-3, 1F), C. Smith, P. Hennessey, E. McCrudden, S. Cahill, C. Commons and L. Jennings (0-1 each).
Meath – F. Moore; C. Yore, S. Jordan, S. Callaghan; C. Smith, C. Scanlon, K. O’Brien; M. McIvor, P. Hennessey; E. McCrudden, J. Harkin, S. Cahill; B. Corkery, C. Commons, C. O’Donoghue.
Subs – A. Ducie for Corkery, C. Gallagher for Commons, L. Jennings for O’Donoghue, P. Crawley for Cahill, S. Betson for Scanlon.
Referee – Ultan McElroy (Louth)
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