Mighty Meath get first McDonagh Cup win in thriller

Mighty Meath were within 10 seconds of dumping Kerry out of the Joe McDonagh Cup at Pairc Tailteann this evening as they recorded a first win in the competition.

Meath's 0-28 to 1-21 victory wasn't enough to get them into the decider, they would have required two goals and a 10-point winning margin.

However, it was a historic first Joe McDonagh Cup victory for Meath and one that will send them into next Saturday's relegation play-off against Kildare with every reason for optimism after this hugely impressive display.

Kerry trailed by five points as the clock ticked into the seventh minute of added time at Pairc Tailteann and that would have eliminated last year's beaten finalists on scoring difference, but with the last puck of the game Padraig Boyle sent the sliotar over the black spot to reduce the deficit to four.

All the teams finished with two points, but Meath were on minus four scoring difference while Kerry and Down were both on plus two, but crucially Kerry had scored three goals to Down's two and that secured the final ticket.

This Pairc Tailteann thriller saw the teams level on 11 occasions, but it was Meath that emerged victorious despite missing a first-half penalty and finishing with 14 men when James Toher picked up a second yellow card in second-half added time.

It didn't look promising for Meath at the outset and six wides in the opening quarter proved costly as they trailed by 0-5 to 0-7 at the first water break.

There was a massive effort from the Meath players who stood up man-to-man against a strong Kerry challenge.

Six Shane Conway pointed frees and one from play by Padraig Boyle represented a good return for the Kerry men from the chances they created.

Three Jack Regan points (two frees) and a brace from Patrcik Conneely was a poor return for a wasteful Meath with those six wides proving costly.

Meath resumed smartly and tacked on points from Conneely (two) and Regan to forge ahead briefly, but Kerry levelled when Conway sent over another free.

The point-for-point pattern continued as Douglas and Regan sent over from play for Meath with Daniel Collins and Shane Nolan countering for Kerry.

There was a superb block by Meath's Ger Murphy that prevented a Kerry goal chance, but the net bulged soon after when Cian Hussey finished for a 1-10 to 0-10 advantage after 27 minutes.

A serious examination for Meath especially when Kerry added points from Boyle and Conway ('65') to go five clear.

Again there was some solid defending to avoid the concession of a second goal at the expense of that '65' that Conway sent over.

Douglas pointed to get Meath moving again, but then the Royal County missed a penalty when Regan's shot was well saved by John B O'Halloran at the expense of a '65' that Regan converted.

Kerry lost Brendan O'Leary to the sinbin for the concession of the penalty.

The teams traded a point each before the break with Douglas and Conway (free) on target as Kerry took a hard-earned 1-13 to 0-13 lead at the interval.

The intensity of the hurling increased after the resumption and despite Meath's best efforts Kerry held a slender 1-16 to 0-18 advantage by the second water break with points from Hussey, Conway and Mickey Boyle.

Crucial for Meath was the concession of less frees and Kerry were wayward from play finishing the second-half with a tally of 13 wides compared to one in the first-half.

Conneely (two), Regan (free), the impressive Ian Birmingham and Toher sustained Meath with well-taken points.

Manager Nick Weir made a number of vital substitutions with Sean Quigley, Shane Brennan, Padraic O'Hanrahan and Eamonn O Donnchadha all helping to ignite the Royal County's bid for that elusive first victory after the second water break.

There was belief amongst the players that they are good enough for this level and the points flowed with Regan (four) from a free, a '65' and a super sideline strike as well as one from play driving Meath forward before he limped out of the fray.

Birmingham was denied a goal with an effort that had the spectators on their feet, but Kerry custodian O'Halloran batted the sliotar out for the '65' that Regan converted.

Two points each from Quigley and O'Hanrahan and one apiece by Adam Gannon and Mark O'Sullivan earned Meath the victory.

Five points after the second water break wasn't good enough for Kerry, Maurice O'Connor, Michael Leane and Nolan sent over before Boyle opened his second-half account from play and then saved his side with that huge effort from a free in added time.

SCORERS

Meath - Jack Regan 0-11 five frees, two '65s',one sideline; Patrick Conneely 0-6; Alan Douglas 0-3; Padraic O'Hanrahan 0-2; Sean Quigley 0-2; Ian Birmingham 0-1; James Toher 0-1; Adam Gannon 0-1; Mark O'Sullivan 0-1.

Kerry - Shane Conway 0-10 eight frees, 0ne '65'; Cian Hussey 1-1; Padraig Boyle 0-4 one free; Shane Nolan 0-2; Daniel Collins 0-1; Mikey Boyle 0-1; Maurice O'Connor 0-1; Michael Leane 0-1.

TEAMS

Meath - Charlie Ennis; Ger Murphy, Shane Whitty, Sean Geraghty; James Kelly, Darragh Kelly, Keith Keoghan; Stephen Morris, James Toher; Ian Birmingham, Jack Regan, Mark O'Sullivan; Patrick Conneely, Alan Douglas, Adam Gannon. Subs - Sean Quigley for Conneely 49 mins, Shane Brennan for J Kelly 52m, Padraic O'Hanrahan for Morris 53m, Eamonn O Donnchadha for Douglas 59m, Callum O'Sullivan for Regan 73m.

Kerry - John B O'Halloran; Eric Leen, Tomas O'Connor, Evan Murphy; Jason Diggins, Fionan Mackessy, Conor O'Keeffe; Paudie O'Connor, Shane Nolan; Mikey Boyle, Daniel Collins, Brendan O'Leary; Shane Conway, Padraig Boyle, Cian Hussey. Subs - Maurice O'Connor for Collins half-time, Bryan Murphy for O'Connor 44m, Michael Leane for O'Leary 51.

Referee - Shane Hynes (Galway).