Minor footballers lose Leinster final to Meath

Mon, 2nd August 2021

LEINSTER MFC FINAL

MEATH 3-8 DUBLIN 1-3

A dream start for Meath - a nightmare opening for the Dubs - saw the Royals retain the Leinster MFC title in Monday afternoon's provincial decider at O'Connor Park, Tullamore.

Two goals inside the opening ten minutes put an impressive Meath team on their way and by the first water stoppage Dublin were facing a mountain challenge when trailing 2-4 to 0-0.

Oisín O Murchú hit the first goal in the seventh minute when he turned a shot first time, his powerful drive clipping the underside of the crossbar on its way past Charlie Coghlan.

Two minutes later the influential Seán Emmanuel made an interception as Dublin struggled to settle before taking off through the middle of the Dublin defence and finding the net.

The deadball accuracy of Hughie Corcoran did the rest of the damage as Dublin trailed by ten points after only 15 minutes.

The game after that was evenly enough balanced but Dublin failed to turn possession into scores and late on their quest for goals proved very difficult against a strongly constructed defensive shield.

At half-time Meath were 2-5 to 0-1 clear, Dublin's sole score coming in the 17th minute when Seán Gannon converted a free.

Thirteen minutes into the second half Scott McConnell was alert to turn a Karl Flynn ball into the danger area into the net to make it 2-7 to 1-2.

Unfortunately, McConnell was red-carded within a minute after the referee consulted with his umpires.

By the finish Dublin were down to 13 after centre-back Greg McEneaney was black-carded.

To add to Dublin's woes Meath got a third goal in the 51st minute when an attempted short kickout backfired and the accurate Hughie Corcoran lobbed the ball into an empty net.

Dublin, in fairness, played to the finish with Reuben Cahill firing over.

SCORERS - Meath: H Corcoran 1-5 (0-5f), O O Murchú 1-2, S Emmanuel 1-0, S Leonard 0-1. Dublin: S McConnell 1-1 (0-1f), R Cahill, S Gannon (0-1f) 0-1 each.

MEATH: O McDermott; C Ennis, L Kelly, S O’Hare; S Leonard, T Corbett, K Smyth; P Wilson, J Kinlough; J O’Regan, S Emmanuel, C McWeeney; C Finlay, O O Murchú, H Corcoran. Subs: B O’Halloran for Ennis (33), A Moore for McWeeney (38), T Martyn for O Murchú (53), D Ehichoya for Finlay (58), J Mannion for Smyth (58).

DUBLIN: C Coghlan; F Bruton, D Murphy, J Smith; M Gardiner, G McEneaney, D Colbert; C Duggan, E O’Connor Flanagan; R Mullarkey, M McNally, Z Delmar; T Gorman, S Gannon, S McConnell. Subs: R Fahey for Mullarkey (ht), R Cahill for Smith (ht), K Flynn for Gannon (40), L McGauran for Gorman (48), J Clair for Duggan (58).

REF: F Pierce (Offaly).