Hurlers into Kehoe Cup final again

Meath advanced to the Kehoe Cup final with a 0-21 to 0-12 victory over a Derry side that finished with 14 men following a tough encounter at Trim.

Last week Meath negotiated a 13-man Wicklow side in the quarter-final and at one stage it looked like the Ulster men might also be reduced to 13, but Dublin referee Dónal O hÁrrachtáin used some common sense that kept Derry’s yellow-carded full back Sean McCullagh on the pitch close to the interval.

Derry full-forward Ruairi Convery wasn’t quite so lucky and received a straight red card in the 19th minute.

The Swatragh man had converted a brace of frees by that stage and his departure was a big handicap for Derry who trailed by four points at the interval (0-6 to 0-10) after playing with the wind.

Alan Grant (three) and Paul Cleary claimed the other Derry points from frees before the break.

Meath looked good in that opening half and were in the ascendancy before the red-card incident and were well worth that interval advantage.

Tipperary man Tom McGrath sent over three points (one free), his namesake Willie McGrath and Peter Durnin each added a brace with James Toher (free), Derek Doran and Gary Kelly completing the tally.

Meath were in a comfort zone with the benefit of the extra man and the elements for the second-half and did enough to secure a place in the decider against Kildare next Sunday without too much fuss.

Conall Collier