Meath win well at Aughrim

Meath advanced to the Leinster SFC semi-finals this evening following a merited 1-17 to 1-12 victory over a battling Wicklow side at Aughrim in front of 6,124 spectators.

Meath manager Mick O'Dowd handed championship debuts to Kilmainham's Michael Newman and Ratoath's Eamon Wallace while Ballinabrackey's Damien Carroll also returned to the starting line up following injury.

Underdogs Wicklow with home advantage and a championship victory over Longford to their credit made it tough for the Royal County as the sides were on level terms five times in the opening half.

Harry Murphy's men defeated Longford by 1-15 to 0-16 in the first round and gave Meath a couple of scares this evening and Paddy O'Rourke had to save a  harshly awarded first-half penalty.

From that save Meath scored a soft type of goal on the counter when full-back Kevin Reilly launched a wind-assisted punt from his own 65-metre line that bounced inside the Wicklow 20-metre line and over the head of the goalkeeper.

That helped Meath to a 1-10 to 1-4 interval advantage with the points coming from Newman (four frees), Graham Reilly (three), Wallace, Brian Meade and Bryan Menton.

Wicklow's opening score was a Paul Earls goal, but both Peadar Byrne and Stephen Bray could have had goals for Meath in the first-half. 

Wicklow had the deficit down to two points (1-8 to 1-10) with a whirlwind start to the second-half, but points from Graham Reilly and substitute Padraig Harnan settled Meath and they took control again.

O'Rourke produced a couple of more smart saves as Wicklow kept battling, but Meath were able to see out the game and earn a place in the last four with Graham Reilly taking the RTE 'man-of-the-match' accolade. 

MEATH

Paddy O'Rourke; Donal Keogan, Kevin Reilly (1-0), Bryan Menton (0-1); Ciaran Lenehan, Caoimhin King, Mickey Burke; Brian Meade (0-1), Conor Gillespie; Peadar Byrne, Damien Carroll, Graham Reilly (0-4); Eamon Wallace (0-3), Stephen Bray, Michael Newman (0-5 four frees, one '45'). Subs - Padraig Harnan (0-1) for Lenehan and Seamus Kenny for Burke both half-time, Brian Farrell for Carroll, J Sheridan (0-1) for Newman, P Gilsenan (0-1) for Byrne.

Meath will play Wexford in the semi-final in a fortnight.

Conall Collier