Minor footballers face Faithful in key Leinster MFC Group 1 tie

Dublin minor footballers face Offaly in O'Connor Park, Tullamore on Wednesday night (7.0) in what could be a pivotal Leinster MFC Group 1 encounter.

The Faithful County have won their opening two group games against Wicklow (1-12 to 0-14) and Westmeath (1-12 to 1-9) and head the table with Meath, with the Royals on top on scoring difference.

Dublin defeated Louth in their opening game (3-15 to 1-7) but their narrow lose to Meath last time out (1-13 to 2-8) so are playing a bit of catch-up in the race for the two Leinster MFC semi-final berths.

The counties who finished third and fourth in their grouping enter the Shield semi-finals.

Last time out a crucial spell just either side of the half-time interval cost Dublin in their clash with an impressive Meath in Páirc Tailteann, Navan.

Luke Swan’s first goal in the ninth minute have given Dublin a 1-2 to 0-1 lead but it was the hosts that finished the half on the up with points from Luke Mitchell and Luke Kelly before Bryan McCormack struck for a first-half injury-time goal to give Meath a 1-7 to 1-4 advantage.

On the resumption Meath maintained their upperhand with points from Luke Kelly, David Bell and a Luke Mitchell free to move 1-19 to 1-4 clear.

However, a Conor Murray point broke Meath’s chain of scores and when Luke Swan grabbed his second goal with 16 minutes remaining Dublin were right back in contention, 1-11 to 2-5.

Points from Enda Cashman and Malachy Codd cut the deficit to two point, 1-12 to 2-7, with two minutes of normal time remaining but a Matthew Costello point steadied Meath. Dublin's Mark Lavin completed the scoring with his second pointed free of the night.

Dublin’s Leinster MFC schedule is - Round 1: Dublin 3-15 Louth 1-7 (Monday, May 7); Round 2: Meath 1-13 Dublin 2-8 (Wednesday, May 23); Round 3: Offaly v Dublin (Wednesday, May 30); Round 4: Dublin v Wicklow (Wednesday, June 27); Round 5: Westmeath v Dublin (Tuesday, July 3).

Electric Ireland Leinster Minor Football Championship Group 1

2018 LEINSTER MFC: Results

R1: Meath 2-20 Westmeath 2-7; Offaly 1-13 Wicklow 0-14; Dublin 3-15, Louth 1-7

R2: Meath 1-13 Dublin 2-8; Offaly 1-12 Westmeath 1-9; Louth 6-9 Wicklow 5-12

R3: Louth v Meath; Offaly v Dublin; Wicklow v Westmeath

R4: Meath v Offaly; Dublin v Wicklow; Westmeath v Louth

R5: Westmeath v Dublin; Wicklow v Meath; Offaly v Louth

WEDNESDAY

LEINSTER MFC ROUND 3 (7.0) - Gaelic Grounds, Drogheda: Louth v Meath; O'Connor Park, Tullamore: Offaly v Dublin; Joule Park, Aughrim: Wicklow v Westmeath; O'Moore Park, Portlaoise: Laois v Carlow; Pearse Park, Longford: Longford v Wexford.