Early goals leave Meath down and out

Hit with sucker punches at the start of each half Meath found themselves on the ropes for most of this Leinster u-20 encounter eventually losing out to Dublin by 2-10 to 4-16 at Pairc Tailteann this evening. 

The game was just 17 seconds old when Dublin's James Doran broke through for a goal and he went on to better that finding the net again just 13 seconds into the second-half. 

That early goal first-half goal really rocked Meath but they did well to put themselves back in the frame by half-time when they trailed by 'only' 1-5 to 1-8 with Frank O'Reilly getting their goal from the penalty spot. 

However Dublin started the second-half like a steam train with Doran once again breaking through to despatch the ball to the net. Further second-half goals netted by Ross McGarry and Karl Lynch-Bissett helped to put the visitors 4-12 to 1-8 ahead after 50 minutes - and at that stage some supporters started to head for the exits. Tom Keane also inflicted a lot of pain on Meath with seven points, two frees. 

Meath kept battling away and they put a better gloss on the scoreboard when Jordan Morris found the net with a spectacular shot shortly before the end but there was no stopping rampant Dublin. Ethan Devine also had a 'goal' disallowed in the second-half for square ball while O'Reilly almost bagged a second goal when he forced a fine save from Dublin's David O'Hanlon. 

Morris finished as Meath's main marksman with 1-4, all his points from frees while O'Reilly notched 1-2 with Shane Walsh, James Conlon and Adam Kealy also pointing for a below-par Royal County side who struggled to contain this powerful Dublin outfit. 

"Those early goals were killer punches you always go out in a game and try and dictate the pace and that's what we set out to do but we were caught by those sucker-punches at both throw-ups," said Meath manager Brian Farrell afterwards. 

See analysis, match report, comments and photographs in the next issue of the Meath Chronicle. 

 

 

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