Meath exit to late points

Meath's quest for a Leinster MFC title faltered at the quarter-final stage when Offaly claimed a brace of injury-time points at Pairc Tailteann on Saturday. This was a tight contest, but Meath had plenty of chances to win the game, especially in the second-half. Too many solid scoring opportunities were squandered by the Royal County, although Offaly were equally culpable in the opening half and the wide count finished 11-10 in Meath's favour. "I thought it was going to go to extra-time, I'd have settled for that even when we went a point up, it's sickening to lose like that," Meath manager Davy Dalton told the Meath Chronicle. Meath conceded a lot of early frees, but Offaly failed to capitalise on a couple of good chances and tallied four wides in the opening 10 minutes. The Royal County forged ahead inside 25 seconds when Shane Barry converted a free after Donal Landy was fouled. On at least three occasions subsequently, Liam Tolan gained possession, but was denied chances by a tight-marking Offaly rearguard. However, Tolan's persistence and skill were rewarded in the in the 10th minute when he found the in-rushing Conor Devereux who surged through from 20 metres and unleashed a fierce drive to the net. Devereux adopted a roving role as Meath operated with a two-man full-forward line of Tolan and Landy and the tactic worked well. The Dunshaughlin player's pace, allied to the jinking runs of Tolan, posed enormous problems for the Offaly rearguard. The Faithful County eventually made the scoreboard in the 21st minute after Meath conceded a '45' which Offaly took short. That gave Noel Graham a chance to split the posts, but Meath countered instantly through Tolan at the other end. As the Offaly wide-tally increased to eight by half-time, they managed further points from Paul McPadden and Graham (free) and trailed by four points (0-3 to 1-4) at the interval. Daniel Queeney completed Meath's first-half tally from a free. Meath resumed with traces of the Offaly malaise as they tallied two wides in the opening minute and that proved costly when Graham converted a free soon after. With the deficit down to three points Meath heaped pressure on themselves with two more wides while Offaly's Stuart Cullen opened his account. Meath substitute Cian O'Brien made an opening for Landy who brought a good save out of Matt Carragher, a save which proved to be a turning point. The value of that save was magnified at the other end soon after when Barry Cushen gave Conor McHugh no chance as the net bulged in the 13th minute. That gave Offaly the lead for the first time (1-5 to 1-4), but Meath reacted positively when Barry tied it up by the end of the third-quarter. During that third-quarter Meath's finishing was abysmal and they managed five wides which could have produced points, it brought their tally to eight and by the end of the game that had increased to 11. Graham exerted a lot more influence at midfield for Offaly and when Edenderry's Derek Kelly helped himself to a brace of points it gave the visiting supporters a little bit more belief. Meath substitute Bobby O'Brien reduced the deficit with his first touch and then Devereux drew the sides level with a good point from play. The sides were still level (1-7 apiece) when the fourth official indicated five minutes of additional time, most of which was as a result of treatment for Offaly full-back David Hanlon. The Offaly player was deemed guilty of a yellow card-tackle on Bryan McMahon as the clock ticked down and from the resultant free Barry gave Meath the lead. Then Devereux was denied a point by the post. Offaly made the most of that reprieve and Graham levelled. With extra-time looming, Offaly wing-back Stephen Hannon fired the ball between the posts and stamped Meath's departure ticket. Meath - Conor McHugh (Oldcastle); Alastar Doyle (Dunshaughlin), Conor McGill (Ratoath), Alan Forde (Navan O'Mahonys); Fergus Toolan (Dunshaughlin), Eoin Lynch (St Finian's), Paddy Haslam (Ratoath); Farrell McManus (Ratoath 0-1), Conor Sheridan (Simonstown Gaels); Paddy Fox (Skryne), Daniel Queeney (Na Fianna 0-1 free), Shane Barry (Simonstown Gaels 0-4 three frees); Conor Devereux (Dunshaughlin 1-1), Donal Landy (St Patrick's), Liam Tolan (Skryne 0-1). Subs - Cian O'Brien (Ratoath) for Queeney 33 mins; Seamus Mattimoe (Gaeil Cholmcille) for Toolan 50m; Bobby O'Brien (Ratoath 0-1) for Landy 52m; Ciaran McConnell (Bective) for Fox 55m; Bryan McMahon (Ratoath) for Tolan 55m. Offaly - M Carraher; C Lowry, D Hanlon, C Donohoe; J O'Connor, D Hogan, S Hannon (0-1); N Graham (0-4 two frees), J Brickland; S Cullen (0-1), D Kelly (0-2), P Cunningham; P McPadden (0-1), P Camon, E McCabe. Subs - B Cushen (0-1) for McCabe 16 mins; J. Flattery for Cunningham 47m Referee - Fergal Kelly (Longford).