Thrilling Meath oust Wexford with stunning second-half revival
Meath produced a sensational second-half comeback to see off Wexford and advance to the Leinster MFC semi-final with a stunning 3-14 to 1-11 victory over a fancied home side in Wexford Park this evening, writes David Sheehan.
The Royals got off to the worst possible when Model County danger man Rory Gilbert, who grabbed a hat-trick of goals in the preliminary quarter-final win over Laois, palmed to the net on four minutes for the opening score of the game.
However, Gilbert failed to score again from play, adding just a point from a free and one from a mark, as Meath contained him well and turned on the style in the second-half.
Meath had plenty of chances in the opening period but both shot-selection and accuracy let them down, as they racked up seven first-half wides to go in trailing by seven at the break, 0-4 to 1-8.
Meath were sustained by the accuracy of Andrew Gormley in that opening half while Billy Smyth also pointed.
After conceding 1-1 in the opening few seconds Meath did bounce back to close to within one score, 0-4 to 1-4, but Wexford finished the half on the front foot to lead by seven points.
However, Stephen Morgan's side emerged from the Wexford Park dressing room a team transformed.
Substitute Ben Corkery made an immediate impact by landing a point inside 40 seconds and moments later he set up Cormac Liggan for an emphatic finish to the net which really kick-started the Meath revival.
Further points from the impressive Cian Commons and Andrew Gormley cut the gap to two points, but Wexford responded with a brace of scores from Michael Kavanagh and Harry Murphy which briefly stopped the rot.
Meath hit the front for the first time in the 47th minute during a purple patch which saw them hit 1-5 without reply - the second goal coming from Commons and points from Gormley, Eamon Armstrong, Commons and David Donnelly.
At that stage the visitors led by 2-12 to 1-11 and the game looked safe.
Wexford tried to find Gilbert with long balls to salvage something, but Meath's defenders bottled up the big attacker every time he gained possession.
Michael McIvor put the final gloss on a wonderful second-half with Meath's third goal in added time.
They now advance to face Kildare in the semi-final next Wednesday, something which scarcely looked possible at half-time.
Meath - Brayden Colfer; Oisín O'Neill, John Gormley, Naoise Maguire; Billy Smyth (0-1), Thomas Sheridan, David Donnelly (0-1); Cian Commons (1-4), Michael McIvor (1-0); Eamon Armstrong (0-1), Cian Duggan, Pat Crawley, Cormac Liggan (1-0), Tom Lenehan, Andrew Gormley (0-6 three frees). Subs - Ben Corkery (0-1) for Smyth, Oliver Maloney for Maguire both half-time, Rory Crawley for P Crawley, Oisín Yore for Duggan both 43m, Liam Jennings for Gormley 55m.
Wexford - Ryan Sinnott; Dara Kelly, Niall Furlong, Tiernan Myler; Shane Reddy (0-1), Darragh Harris, Eoin Hughes; Darragh Dee, Tom Funge; Michael Kavanagh (0-1), Harry Murphy (0-7 five frees), Brian Roban; Rory Gilbert (1-2, one free, one mark), Cathal Kehoe, Darren Rossiter. Subs - Darragh Shannon for Roban 51 mins..