Goals pave the way to victory again this week for Meath

The team that couldn't win a game in over 12 months is now unbeaten in three, has scored 12 goals in the last two championship games and earned a place in next Saturday's Leinster SFC final against Dublin or Laois.

Seven goals last week against Wicklow was followed by five today against Kildare as Meath negotiated the Lilywhites with an impressive 5-9 to 0-15 Leinster SFC semi-final win at Croke Park.

One point from a free and the rest from play as a two-goal salvo from Mathew Costello and Jordan Morris in a blistering start to the second-half put Meath in the driving seat and laid the foundations for this victory as an unbeaten run was extended to three.

Kildare started well and established a six-point interval advantage, but Meath dominated the second half and the Lilywhites finished with 14 men due to a straight red card in second-half added time.

Jimmy Hyland gave Kildare a sixth minute lead from a pointed free awarded against Seamus Lavin in what was a tentative opening from Meath against the wind.

Ben McCormack added to Kildare's tally with a ninth minute point from play and they added to that lead when Lavin conceded another free and Hyland duly converted.

Kildare then had a hand-passed Paddy Brophy goal disallowed and Meath countered almost immediately with a Shane Walsh point from play in the 13th minute.

Cillian O'Sullivan tagged on another point to reduce the deficit to the minimum (0-2 to 0-3) and then Kildare went close from a free, but Hawkeye ruled the effort out ahead of the water break.

Jordan Morris opened his account from a free that drew the sides level in the 22nd minute, but Kildare replied from play when Mattie Byrne sent over.

A fine Thomas O'Reilly point had Meath on terms again in the 27th minute, but that all the Royal County could muster as Kildare dictated the remainder of the half and reeled off unanswered points from Darragh Kirwan and Hyland (two each), Brophy and Kevin Flynn.

Flynn's effort was a goal chance that went over while at the other end Cillian O'Sullivan was denied a goal by a smart Mark Donnellan one-handed save at the expense of a '45' that was also cleared.

That gave Kildare a 0-10 to 0-4 interval advantage and a tally of eight first-half wides.

Meath blasted out of the second-half blocks with a two-goal salvo from Mathew Costello and Jordan Morris, but Kildare didn't panic and replied with points from Fergal Conway and Hyland (free) to stay in the game.

Meath found another goal through a defensive Kildare lapse with O'Sullivan finishing to the net while Costello and David Hyland traded points.

Turning a six-point interval deficit around, Meath took a 3-5 to 0-13 lead into the second water break.

When play resumed Kildare substitute Daniel Flynn drew the sides level, but Thomas O'Reilly restored Meath's advantage with a point before he was replaced by Joey Wallace who claimed Meath's fourth goal with his first contribution.

Substitutes Cathal Hickey and James Conlon along with Shane McEntee added points and another substitute Jason Scully applied the gloss with a late goal.

All Kildare could muster was a Brophy point in response and they finished with 14 when Shea Ryan picked up a straight red card for a challenge that saw Cillian O'Sullivan forced out of the action in added time.

SCORERS

Meath - Cillian O'Sullivan 1-1; Mathew Costello 1-1; Jordan Morris 1-1 one free; Joey Wallace 1-0; Jason Scully 1-0; Thomas O'Reilly 0-2; Shane Walsh 0-1; Cathal Hickey 0-1; Shane McEntee 0-1; James Conlon 0-1.

Kildare - Jimmy Hyland 0-5 three frees, one mark; Paddy Brophy 0-2; Darragh Kirwan 0-2; Ben McCormack 0-1; Mattie Byrne 0-1; Kevin Flynn 0-1; Fergal Conway 0-1; Daniel Flynn 0-1; David Hyland 0-1.

TEAMS

Meath - Mark Brennan; Seamus Lavin, Conor McGill, David Toner; Donal Keogan, Shane McEntee, Mathew Costello; Bryan Menton, Ronan Jones; Cillian O'Sullivan, Bryan McMahon, Ronan Ryan; Jordan Morris, Shane Walsh, Thomas O'Reilly. Subs - Cathal Hickey for Ronan Ryan 55 mins; Jason Scully for Shane McEntee and Joey Wallace for Thomas O'Reilly both 56 mins James Conlon for Walsh 67 mins; Eoin Harkin for O'Sullivan 77 mins.

Kildare - Mark Donnellan; Mark Dempsey, Shea Ryan, Mick O'Grady; David Hyland, Con Kavanagh, Kevin Flynn; Kevin Feely, Eoin Doyle; Matty Byrne, Ben McCormack, Paddy Brophy; Fergal Conway, Darragh Kirwan, Jimmy Hyland. Subs - Daniel Flynn for McCormack 47 mins, Paul Cribben for Byrne 51 mins; Aaron Masterson for Kavanagh 58 mins, Liam Power for Conway 59 mins, Neil Flynn for Kirwan 61 mins,

Referee - Conor Lane (Cork).