McCarthy praises players for 'accepting the challenge'
When it mattered most, when they heat was at its hottest, when the battle was at its fiercest Meath dug deep and came up with what was needed to win the Leinster MFC at Cusack Park, Mullingar this evening.
In extremely warm conditions John McCarthy's side held off a large surge from Offaly to win (1-7 to 1-6) the closeness of the scoreline indicating how finely balanced that contest was - at least in the closing stages.
After 38 minutes Meath led 1-5 to 0-3 - their goal scored by St Colmcille's Liam Stafford - and looked to be cruising but Offaly went for broke and they nearly broke Meath's hearts as they had one or two goal chances in the exciting closing stages.
However, Meath defensive solidity that had stood to them all evening meant Offaly were unable to get the goal - or the point - they so badly needed and force extra-time.
The closing minutes certainly proved nervy for the Meath players, management and supporters with Offaly fighting back to level matters after 55 minutes.
It was then the young Royals really had to dig deep and they did with Ruairi Kinsella pointing from play and captain fantastic Eoghan Frayne adding another point from play as the game slipped into injury time.
How crucial that point turned out to be as Geordi O'Meara conjured up one more score for the Faithful to leave Meath hanging on by their fingertips.
Hang on they did to claim the county's 12th Leinster MFC crown and provide some badly needed cheer for Meath football folk.
Their victory was a one for tenacity, hard work and fitness that was tested to the full in the hot conditions.
This was anything but a classic but fast-flowing, error-free football was a tall order considering that it's over six months since these two sides played a competitive game.
Scores were difficult to come by in the opening half the jet-heeled Cormac Egan giving Offaly an early advantage when he fired over.
It took until the fifth minute for Meath to muster up their first score of the game when Frayne pointed from play.
Shortly afterwards Meath goalkeeper Billy Hogan made an astonishing save blocking a shot from Offaly's Keith O'Neill who looked certain to score from a few metres out. Somehow Hogan got a block to keep the ball out. A save of the season.
The game ebbed and flowed with both sides missing chances and making errors. Gradually Meath got their passing game going and got on top with Frayne posting three more points - two frees, one '65' - to help his side go in at the break 0-4 to 0-2 ahead.
Early in the second-half, Offaly reduced the deficit to a minimum once more with a point from Jamie Guing before Meath enjoyed their best spell of the game. Frayne pointed from a free before on the 38th minute their goal arrived.
Frayne's high ball into the Offaly goalmouth was fumbled by a defender. The ball broke to Stafford and he fired to the net. There was a strong element of good fortune attached to the score but real opportunism too. When the chance presented itself Stafford was there to take full advantage.
Offaly pushed up looking for redemption and they found it when Pauric Robbins fired to the net from close range in a series of incidents that led up to the score that were very like the Meath goal.
The ball was played high into the Meath goalmouth. The defence struggled to deal with it. Keith O'Neill won possession and played it to Robbins who fired home. Game really on.
Offaly continued to press. They were winning the breaking balls in midfield. They were dominant and two further points from Guing levelled matters with the game drawing to a close.
Meath could have collapsed. They could have thrown in the towel and a lot more besides but they didn't. They found another gear with those two late points from Kinsella and captain Frayne underpinning their hunger, their determination.
Meath had some super performances with players such as Ben Moran, Ben Donnelly, Sean Emmanuel, Ciaran Caulfield and Adam McDonnell outstanding but this was very much a team effort. United. Conor Gray used his considerable height to pluck balls from the sky.
The closing stages were hot and intense for Meath but they held firm. Offaly's John Furlong went on a mazy run to create a great scoring chance for himself but he shot low and wide when a point was there to be taken - or a goal.
It was a let off for Meath and one of the reasons why they ended up Leinster champions.
"We spoke about it before the match, we knew what was coming, we knew it was going to be a battle and finals are for winning there are other days for good football," said a delighted John McCarthy after it was all over.
"The only thing you remember at the end of a final is who won it you don't remember who played the football who didn't play the football. Offaly came with a very determined plan, they set up well to counteract us."
"Credit to them (the Meath players) they found a way to win. They have played a lot better, they will play better but they found a way to win and I think it's a great mark of a group and a team.
"They played like men for 18-year-olds, all the momentum was with Offaly at the end, like we were five points up then they got the goal, they got the two points and for the all the world you would have thought there was only one team going to win and it wasn't us so those lads changed that, nothing I could do on the sideline.
"They stood up, Eoghan Frayne caught a ball, Conor Gray caught a ball, Eoghan Frayne kicked the ball over the bar at the end, real leaders stood up at the end and battled it out.
"That's what it's about you have to go it, I was saying to the boys that's what sport is about. Sport is about accepting that challenge and being aware of all possible outcomes but you accept that challenge you get on with it, you stand up and then you are worthy champions when you take that on."
SCORERS
Meath - Eoghan Frayne 0-6 three frees, one '45'; Liam Stafford 1-0; Ruairi Kinsella 0-1.
Offaly - Jamie Guing 0-3 one free; Pauric Robbins 1-0, Cormac Egan 0-1; Geordi O'Meara 0-1 free; Keith O'Neill 0-1.
TEAMS
Meath - Billy Hogan; Ben Moran, Liam Kelly, Ben Donnelly; Adam McDonnell, Oisin Kelly, Ciaran Caulfield; Sean Emmanuel, Conor Gray; Mark Coffey, Ruairi Kinsella, Liam Stafford; Alan Bowden, Eoghan Frayne, John McDonagh. Subs - Aaron Murphy for McDonnell half-time, Tomas Corbett for Kelly 50m, Oisin Keogh for Stafford 56m.
Offaly - David Dunican; Diarmuid Finneran, Tom Hyland, Ciaran Conroy; David Dempsey, Cathal Ryan, Geordi O'Meara; John Furlong, Harry Plunkett; Marcus Dalton, Alex Egan, Pauric Robbins; Jamie Guing, Keith O'Neill, Cormac Egan. Subs - Patrick Taaffe for Dempsey 40 mins, Sean Keenaghan for Robbins 49m, Eoin Gavin for O'Neill 51m, Daire McDaid for Hyland 58m, Joe Bergin for Plunkett 59m.
Referee - David Fedigan (Louth).