Minor footballers exit Leinster championship

Sun, 18th October 2020

LEINSTER MFC FIRST ROUND

MEATH 1-15 DUBLIN 0-7

A storming final third by Meath saw them cruise to an 11-point victory in Saturday’s Electric Ireland Leinster MFC first round clash at Páirc Tailteann, Navan.

Both counties showed signs of nerves and perhaps the lockdown delay in the opening half and by the break the sides were level, 0-4 each – Darragh Dempsey, Conor Dolan and Seán Gannon the Dublin scorers.

Inside the opening minute of the second half Dublin took the lead when Luke Ward fired over following a good run by Luke Breathnach.

Dublin had enjoyed plenty of possession to the point but didn't make it capitalise on the scoreboard and were to pay a price when Meath earned the upperhand and showed a greater clincial edge in attack.

However, this well-drilled Royal side responded immediately and by the 40^th minute the sides were still deadlocked, 0-7 each, with Eoghan O’Connor Flanagan kicking a fine point for the Dubs.

Unfortunately that was as good as it got for the Dubs with Eoghan Frayne going on to amass 0-7 (fve from play) while Aaron Murphy’s 45^th minute goal helped propel the home side to victory.

SCORERS– Meath: E Frayne 0-7 (0-2f), A Murphy 1-1, R Kinsella 0-3, J McDonagh 0-2, C Gray, C Caulfield (0-1f) 0-1 each. Dublin: D Dempsey 0-2 (0-2f), C Dolan, S Gannon, L Ward, L Breathnach, E O’Connor Flanagan 0-1 each.

MEATH: B Hogan; B Moran, L Kelly, B Donnelly; S O’Donoghue, O Kelly, C Caulfield; S Emmanuael, C Gray; S Maguire, R Kinsella, J McDonagh; A Bowden, E Frayne, A Murphy. Subs: L Stafford for Maguire (56), T Corbett for McDonagh (57), C Sheehy for Murphy (58).

DUBLIN: H O’Sullivan; S O’Driscoll, T Clancy, R O’Shea; E O’Connor Flanagan, D O’Rourke, G McEneaney; A Gavin, T Brennan; C Dolan, L Breathnach, S Smith; S Gannon, D Dempsey, L Ward. Subs: D Keogh for Nolan (42), F Turner for Dempsey (45), R Keogh for Gannon (47), E Wilde for Smith (47), M Lynch for Brennan (58).

REF: A Coyne (Westmeath).