Gale force Meath blow Dubs away

Meath dethroned the reigning Leinster and All-Ireland champions Dublin in the opening round of the 2011 Leinster u-21 FC in a thriller at Pairc Tailteann on Wednesday night last. Meath needed extra-time to earn a quarter-final ticket against Longford after Dublin hit the front in the closing stages and were bravely hauled back by the well-supported Royals. This was a strong Dublin team that featured six of last year's All-Ireland-winning panel and included Sean Murray, James McCarthy and Darragh Nelson. That trio also featured in the opening round victories of the NFL Div 1 against Cork and Armagh. Meath made a blistering start with points from Michael Newman (two), Mark Battersby and Bryan Menton inside four minutes as Dublin backpedalled consistently. However, once they settled, Dublin reeled off points with a brace of Dean Rock frees and a Ciaran Dorney effort from play. Meath recovered their composure and Newman pointed a free after Niall Murphy was fouled under a high ball. That gave Meath a 0-5 to 0-3 first-quarter advantage. Dublin were also unlucky to have a perfectly good Gary Sweeney 'goal' ruled out after Offaly referee Damien Brazil called back the play and awarded a free which accounted for one of their early points. The Offaly official penalised Meath's Darragh Smyth (pictured) similarly in the second-half when the O'Mahonys player had broken away from his marker, but Meath squandered the resultant free. Meath were ahead by double scores (0-10 to 0-5) at the interval as Paddy Gilsenan and Smyth (two each) and Newman (free) comfortably hit the target. Rock (free) and Philip Ryan points sustained a Dublin side that finished the half with seven wides to their credit whereas Meath made much better use of possession and tallied only one wide during the same period. The game tightened up during the third-quarter and Dublin whittled the deficit down to three points (0-8 to 0-11) as Rock proved accurate from frees, but the Dublin ace also hit the post with a close-range effort. Newman managed Meath's solitary score as they began to wilt under intense pressure. Dublin substitutes Eoin Keogh and Paul Hudson provided an immediate boost as the reigning champions took on the look of a side that could win. Hudson and Rock points left only the minimum in it before Newman lifted the siege. The respite was brief and Hudson sent over a brace from play, the equaliser was manufactured by a surging Kevin O'Brien run from deep, which tied the scores at 0-12 apiece. At that stage, the mood amongst the home supporters was sombre and the outlook got worse when Dublin wing-back Darragh Nelson and O'Brien gave Dublin the lead for the first time with only 60 seconds of normal time remaining. Meath substitute Andrew Tormey pointed from play and then Newman was handed a pressure-kick from a free to force extra-time. There was a buzz around the ground as the Meath supporters made the most of the pause in play in an effort to absorb what was a remarkable Meath recovery in the two minutes of added time. Dublin looked like they were going to set the record straight when Gerry Seaver got them moving within 60 seconds of the resumption. Although Dublin managed a Harry Dawson point in the eighth minute, it was Meath that took control of extra-time. Newman surged through and looked certain to burst the net, but Dublin custodian Ryan O'Flaherty made a superb save. Sean Dalton gained possession and pointed from the rebound and that was the signal for Meath to take control. Points from Ciaran Lenehan, Smyth and Shane Gillespie, along with five wides, adequately reflected Meath's superiority as they turned over with a 0-18 to 0-16 advantage. That was quickly turned into a six-point margin when Smyth, Willie Carry and Dalton split the posts. Dublin had one last kick and Gary Sweeney made the opening for McCarthy who fisted goalwards, but Conor McHugh, who had a fine game, was alert. Seaver closed Dublin's account, but that was academic. SCORERS Meath - M Newman 0-7 five frees; D Smith 0-4; P Gilsenan 0-2 one free; S Dalton 0-2; C Lenehan 0-1, B Menton 0-1, M Battersby 0-1, S Gillespie 0-1, W Carry 0-1, A Tormey 0-1. Dublin - D Rock 0-7 six frees; P Hudson 0-3, G Seaver 0-2; K O'Brien 0-1, H Dawson 0-1, D Neslon 0-1, P Ryan 0-1, C Dorney 0-1. THE TEAMS Meath - Conor McHugh (Oldcastle); Cian McPartland (Oldcastle), Sean Curran (Donaghmore / Ashbourne), Willie Ryan (Summerhill); Donal Keogan (Rathkenny), Ciaran Lenehan (Skryne), Mark O'Sullivan (Moynalvey); Bryan Menton (Donaghmore / Ashbourne), Jamie Owens (Nobber); Paddy Gilsenan (Oldcastle 0-2), Darragh Smyth (Navan O'Mahonys), David Larkin (Summerhill); Mark Battersby (Skryne), Niall Murphy (Dunshaughlin), Michael Newman (Kilmainham). Subs - Sean Dalton (Summerhill) for Larkin 39 mins, Andrew Tormey ((Donaghmore / Ashbourne) for Murphy 44m, Shane Gillespie (Navan O'Mahonys) for Battersby 54m, Willie Carry (Drumbaragh) for Owens 54m. extra-time - Eoin Murray (Na Fianna) for Gilsenan, N Judge (Ballinabrackey) for Smyth, S Tobin (Simonstown Gaels) for Menton. Dublin - R O'Flaherty; K O'Brien, S Murray, G McArdle; D Nelson, J McCarthy, G Seaver; D Murphy, C Redddin; C Dorney, G McIntyre, G Sweeney; D Stapleton, D Rock, P Ryan. Subs - M Concar for McArdle 23 mins, H Dawson for McIntyre 26m, E Keogh for Murphy 37m, P Hudson for Stapleton 37m, P Houlihan for Ryan 60m. extra-time - P Keaney for Reddin, A McCarrick for Concar, McIntyre for Rock. REFEREE Damien Brazil (Offaly).