UCD dent Meath's O'Byrne Cup hopes

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Meath0-11

If it wasn’t for bad luck, Meath would have had no luck at all in Simonstown tonight as they lost out narrowly to the students from UCD in the second round of the O’Byrne Cup.
Meath hit the woodwork seven times and also had a couple of efforts cleared off the line by some last ditch defending as UCD took full advantage to claim a victory that blows the group wide open ahead of next Sunday’s final round game against Laois in Pairc Tailteann, 2pm.
The killer blow came 12 minutes from time when Ballyboden St Enda’s star Colm Basquel scrambled the ball to the net from close range to boost the students to a 2-7 to 0-10 lead. Liam Casey put four points between the teams nine minutes later, but Meath refused to lie down.
After having a Graham Reilly shot cleared off the line Mark Battersby somehow managed to volley over the bar from close range to narrow the gap to three points with a minute remaining and even deep into injury-time, after UCD had lost Luke Kelly to a second yellow card, Donal Keogan rattled the crossbar with a stinging drive from the last kick of the entertaining contest.
While the driving wind and rain made good football almost impossible there was no shortage of entertainment as both sides set about the contest with high levels of hunger and determination.
Mick O’Dowd made 10 changes to his team from the side that trounced Carlow three days earlier. Barry Tormay, Cathal Finn, Andy Tormey, Sean Tobin and Mickey Newman all retained their places while Alan Douglas and Ratoath brothers Cian and Bobby O’Brien came in for their first Meath appearances.
There was also a return to county colours for Cillian O’Sullivan who has missed almost three years of action with a back problem that threatened his future in the game.
Meath took advantage of the strong wind in the opening minutes when Tobin pointed them into the lead, but two minutes later they were rocked when Tom Hayes blasted to the roof of the net beyond Paddy O’Rourke from a narrow angle.
Mickey Newman replied from a ‘45’ and after Andy Tormey and Bobby O’Brien both rattled the woodwork it was O’Sullivan who finally found the target to restore parity.
Hayes took advantage of a free awarded against Paddy O’Rourke for over carrying to make it 1-1 to 0-3 and even after Donal Lenihan levelled it up for a second time UCD went back ahead when Meath star James McEntee pointed.
After Tobin hit the upright again Meath hit three points in six minutes from Eamon Wallace, Tobin and Barry Tormay to make it 0-7 to 1-2 and that two-point advantage was maintained at half-time as Conor McCarthy and Newman (free) traded scores to leave it 0-8 to 1-3.
Bobby O’Brien stretched Meath’s lead after the resumption, but McEntee responded to keep UCD in touch. Dalton McDonagh flicked a long ball onto the crossbar before John Heslin and Tobin traded frees.
Then UCD kicked on Heskin and Eoin Lowry drawing them level, 1-7 to 0-10. O’rourke did brilliantly to deny Lowry a goal, but after McDonagh flicked another effort off the frame of the goals came Basquel’s goal which shoved UCD into a 2-7 to 0-10 lead.
Wallace was next to hit the woodword - for the sixth time - before Liam Casey put UCD four points clear three minutes from the end.
Lenihan volleyed over the bar before Luke Kelly saw a second yellow and subsequent red card three minutes into injury-time. Meath piled forward in search of an equalising goal, but when Keogan struck the crossbar it was clear it wasn’t goal to be the hosts night.

UCD - C Honan (Navan O’Mahonys); R McDaid, D Hyland, B Byrne; M Cahalane, D Byrne, S O’Dea; B O’Sullivan, D Murphy; J McEntee (Curraha 0-2), C Basquel (1-0), D Fitzpatrick; T Hayes (1-1), J Heslin (0-2 frees), C McCarthy (0-1). Subs - M Fitzsimons for Cahalane, L Casey (0-1) for Fitzpatrick both half-time, E Lowry (0-1) for McCarthy, P Kingston for O’Sullivan, L Kelly for O’Dea all 48 mins.

Meath - Paddy O’Rourke (Skryne); Barry Tormay (Gaeil Colmcille 0-1), Mickey Burke (Longwood), Simon Carty (Dunderry); Padraig Geraghty (Summerhill), Cathal Finn (Dunboyne), Alan Douglas (Trim); Cian O’Brien (Ratoath), Andy Tormey (Don/Ash); Sean Tobin (Simonstown 0-3 two frees), Bobby O’Brien (Ratoath 0-1), Cillian O’Sullivan (Moynalvey 0-1); Eamon Wallace (Ratoath 0-1), Mickey Newman (Kilmainham 0-2 one free, one ‘45’), Donal Lenihan (Dunboyne 0-2). Subs - Donal Keogan (Rathkenny) for Carty, Shane McEntee (Dunboyne) for Douglas, Graham Reilly (St Colmcille’s) for O’Sullivan, Dalton McDonagh (Na Fianna) for Newman all half time, Harry Rooney (Skryne) for C O’Brien 50 mins, Mark Battersby (Skryne) for B O’Brien 58m.

Referee - Stephen Johnson (Louth).