Meath juniors off the mark at Dunganny

Meath0-12

Kildare2-4

MEATH junior footballers got off to a winning start in the opening round of the Leinster Junior Football Shield against Kildare at Dunganny on Wednesday night.

Meath only trailed in the second-half and team manager Kit Henry can look forward to two more outings against Kilkenny and Wicklow this month as he continues his preparations for the Leinster JFC.

Twenty players were used and among those to make a big impression were wing-back Eoin Reilly who was involved in Meath's opening points from Michael Priest and Gerard Farrelly.

The Donaghmore / Ashbourne player then split the posts twice as he got forward successful and used his pace efficiently which helped Meath into a 0-4 to 0-0 first-quarter lead.

Goalkeeper Jonathan Ginnity also saved well form Kildare full-forward Joe Kavanagh, but he was eventually beaten on the stroke of half-time by Aidan Dunne after hesitancy in the Meath rearguard.

The hosts were ahead by 0-6 to 1-2 at the interval with the remaining points from Glen Loughran and Kieran Collins.

Kildare found the net from a good piece of Kavanagh finishing after the resumption, but the introduction of Ratoath's Ger McCullagh to the Meath attack added an extra dimension.

McCullagh got his side off the mark with a fine point inside three minutes, but more importantly, he provided the ammunition as Jamie Queeney and TJ Garry each added a brace of points and Farrelly closed the scoring near the end.

Kildare stayed in contention throughout, but Meath always looked like they had enough ammunition to take the spoils.

Meath will then take on Kilkenny in Naas this Wednesday, 19th March with the final game against Wicklow, also in Naas on Wednesday, 26th March, all at 7.45.

Meath will play Louth in the opening round of the Leinster JFC at Dundalk on Wednesday, 28th May and the winner of the game will have to travel to either Kilkenny or Wicklow for a semi-final two weeks later.

Cavan have also been included in the competition and will play Dublin at Parnell Park in the opening round at the end of May.

Meath - Jonathan Ginnity (Castletown); Barry Kieran (Meath Hill), Stephen Clynch (Dunsany), Mickey Burke (Longwood); Eoin Reilly (Donaghmore / Ashbourne) 0-2, John Donogue (Moynalvey), Terry Skelly (Drumconrath); Kevin Galligan (St Ultan's), Glen Loughran (Cortown) 0-1; Michael Priest (Clann na nGael) 0-1, Jamie Queeney (Na Fianna), Gerard Farrelly (Castletown) 0-1; Fergal Hennessy (St Brigid's), TJ Garry (Dunderry), Kieran Collins (Duleek / Bellewstown) 0-1. Subs - Colm O Mealoid (Donaghmore / Ashbourne) for Kieran, Diarmuid Bailey (Na Fianna) for Collins, Ger McCullagh (Ratoath) for Hennessy, Peter Carry (Drumbaragh) for Skelly, Christy Cosgrove (Na Fianna) for Clynch.

Kildare - J Goff; M Kelly, P Browne, M O'Connor; G Kearney, C Fagan, O Hearty; D Gillespie, G Hendy (0-1); D Leeson (0-1), A Middleton (0-1), K Cribben; B Mullally, J Kavanagh (1-1), A Dunne (1-0). Sub - M Fitzharris for Dunne.

Referee - Alan McKenna (Louth).