U17 footballers struggle to recover from slow start against Meath

Wed, 28th June 2017

MEATH 1-15 DUBLIN 1-10

Dublin will have to take their chances via the qualifier route after being defeated by Meath in Wednesday night's Leinster U17FC first round in Pairc Tailteann, Navan.

In Thursday morning's draw the Dubs have been drawn away against Offaly in the qualifier, which will be played on Thursday night of next week.

In the inaugural year of this competition which will replace the minor football championship in 2018 the Dubs had a nightmare opening quarter and left themselves with far too much to do against and impressive Meath outfit.

With Meath full-forward Jordan Morris to the fore the Royals had opened up a 0-8 to 0-0 lead inside 16 minutes.

Dublin eventually settled and began to work themselves into the game and by the interval were 0-9 to 0-5 in arrears with Dublin minor footballer Ciaran Archer accounting for all of his side's tally, four converted free and another from play.

Eleven minutes into the second half hopes of a stirring Dublin comeback were as good as ended when Morris fired to the Dublin net.

In injury-time Archer got Dublin's goal, a low shot to the right corner of the net to finish with a personal tally of 1-9 (0-7f) while fellow Dublin minor panelist Adam Byrne was Dublin's only other scorer on the night.

Dublin's minor footballers face Kildare in their Leinster MFC semi-final in St Conleth's Park, Newbridge next Wednesday night (July 5) at 7.30.

SCORERS - Meath: J Morris 1-6 (0-3f), S Walsh 0-3, L Byrne (0-2 '45'), P Matthew 0-2 each, C McBride, B O’Connell (0-1f) 0-1 each. Dublin: C Archer 1-9 (0-7f), A Byrne 0-1.

MEATH: L Brown; S Bannon, S Ryan, M Gavin; O Smullan, L Byrne, C Courtney; C Doherty, P Matthew; C McBride, S Walsh, B O’Connell; A Lynch, J Morris, M Costello. Subs: F Waters for O’Connell (ht); E Martin for Costello (41); C Harford for Gavin (47); M Murphy for Courtney (52); D Keating for Doherty (56).

DUBLIN: L Woodcock; P McNamara, S Tuke, D O’Connell; K Quinn, C Kinsella, K McKeon; N Comerford, F O’Sullivan; D Warnock, C O’Reilly, A Byrne; F O Ceallaigh, P Purcell, C Archer. Subs: S Lowry for O’Reilly (ht); B O’Leary for O Ceallaigh (44); E Lyons for Tuke (46); E Hill for Comerford (46); L Tyrell for McNamara (46); J Leonard for Byrne (55).

REF: D Fedigan (Louth).