Royals undone by decisive Dublin

Promising u-20 side outplayed in penultimate test

The hope carried by John McCarthy's u-20s fell under the weight of expectation at Pairc Tailteann this evening as Dublin advanced to the Leinster final with a 0-14 to 0-10 victory.

Huge things were expected of this talented group of players that was backboned by eight of the team that won a Leinster minor in 2020 and six of the side that won All-Ireland MFC crown in '21, but ultimately they fell short.

Dublin were the more composed and comfortable side as they smothered Meath in the second-half and despite playing against the wind they outscored their hosts by 0-6 to 0-4.

Meath had played reasonably well against the wind in the opening half. They weren't headed in the first 29 minutes, but in the two minutes of injury-time they conceded two scores and trailed 0-6 to 0-8 at the break.

Dublin steadily turned the screw after the break as they soaked up Meath pressure with everyone behind the ball and then broke with a pace and panache that Meath couldn't match.

Meath never reached their potential.They are undoubtedly better than they showed this evening, but they were clearly second best, despite the close nature of the final score.

Shaun Leonard got Meath off to the perfect start with a point inside 30 seconds and even though Ross Keogh replied with a free, Meath pushed 0-3 to 0-1 ahead with Eoghan Frayne on the mark from frees after Leonard and Oisin Keogh were fouled.

Between those two scores Meath had a decent goal chance as Ciaran Caulfield's effort was blocked, before Keogh shot straight at Andrew Smyth. Had that goal chance been converted it might have worked out differently!

Dublin restored parity with two fine scores from play from Luke Breathnach and Conor Dolan.

Frayne and Darragh Dempsey, from a free that looked wide to everyone apart from the umpire and referee, ensured parity remained, but Meath still looked dangerous with Conor Gray firing over when the goal chance was on.

Joe Quigley levelled it up for the fourth time and in the 29th minute he converted a free to give Dublin the lead for the first time.

A brilliant move involving Caulfield and John O'Regan set Jack Kinlough up for an equaliser, but in the closing seconds of the half it was Quigley (free) and Dolan who ensured the two-point interval lead for Dublin.

Frayne (a free and a mark) traded points with Keogh (frees) to maintain the two-point gap.

Then Dublin kicked for home like a Grand National winner jumping the last and negotiating the elbow.

Keogh and Seamus Smith made it 0-12 to 0-8 before the end of the third quarter and by the 52nd minute Ethan Dunne and Keogh (free) had stretched the lead further to 0-14 to 0-8.

Meath needed a goal, but the direct ball into the dangerous Keogh never seriously materialised as Dublin shut up shop effectively.

The goal chance never presented itself. Hughie Corcoran and Frayne did have half chances, but Dublin snuffed out the danger and even though Con Smith and Corcoran did add late scores for the Royals they were in vain.

SCORERS

Dublin - Ross Keogh 0-5 four frees; Joe Quigley 0-3 two frees; Conor Dolan 0-2; Darragh Dempsey 0-1 free; Luke Breathnach 0-1; Seamus Smith 0-1; Ethan Dunne 0-1.

Meath - Eoghan Frayne 0-5 four frees, one mark; Shaun Leonard 0-1; Conor Gray 0-1; Jack Kinlough 0-1; Con Smith 0-1; Hughie Corcoran 0-1.

TEAMS

Dublin - Andrew Smyth; Eoghan O'Connor-Flanagan, Theo Clancy, Evan Nugent; Alex Gavin, Dara McGrath, Dan O'Leary; Ethan Dunne, Greg McEneaney; Conor Dolan, Luke Ward, Tom Brennan; Ross Keogh, Luke Breathnach, Darragh Dempsey. Subs - Joe Quigley for Breathnach 17 mins, Michael McDonald for Brennan half-time, Seamus Smith for O'Connor-Flanagan 37m, Bill Costello for Quigley 60m.

Meath - Billy Hogan; Brian O'Halloran, Liam Kelly, Killian Smyth; Brian O'Reilly, John O'Regan, John Finnerty; Jack Kinlough, Conor Gray; Ciaran Caulfield, Eoghan Frayne, Liam Stafford; Shaun Leonard, Oisin Keogh, Alan Bowden. Subs - Ruairi Kinsella for Leonard 37 mins, Con Smith for Stafford 47m, Conor Ennis for Bowden, Hughie Corcoran for Kinsella both 54m.

Referee - David Hickey (Carlow).