Young Royal guns blossom in the Garden

Impressive O'Byrne Cup victory for inexperienced Meath side

Meath...................2-1-9 (17)

Wicklow ................1-2-8 (15)

Expected the unexpected with Meath football of late.

Few, if any, gave a Meath side that started with 10 debutants and who brought on four more much of a chance against a relatively strong Wicklow side in an O'Byrne Cup opener on their home patch in Aughrim on Saturday.

The return of the preseason competitions are all about giving opportunities to those with aspirations of breaking into Robbie Brennan's senior team and those who were in John McCarthy's charge in Aughrim certainly did their prospects of inclusion further down the line no harm at all.

This was a comfortable win for Meath. Apart from totally understandable nervous moments early and later on the visiting Royals, who included Daithi McGowan and Conor Gray from last year's panel, were impressive and commanding against a Wicklow side that started with nine of the team that played in the 2025 Tailteann Cup semi-final.

Wicklow had enough goal chances to win several games, but a mix of poor execution, good goalkeeping by Rathkenny's Finn Moore and excellent defending limited the hosts to just one green flag.

That 56th minute goal in this 60 minute contest closed Meath's lead to four points and set up an exciting finish.

Daithi McGowan's loss of concentration that saw him stray beyond half way and leave Meath with just three back gifted Mark Jackson with a two-point free which he nailed to leave two between the sides with two minutes remaining.

Another rush of blood two minutes into injury time when Killian Smyth didn't return the ball in a respectful manner gave Jackson another two-point chance, but he left that one short.

Before that Gerry Dwane did brilliantly to clear danger off the line and Meath held on to set up a quarter-final clash with Offaly in Faithful Fields on Wednesday night.

It was a hugely entertaining and promising performance from a team that had a combined total of 72 senior appearances between them.

Fifty of those appearance were between McGowan (32) and Diarmuid Moriarty (18) with Conor Gray's 13 appearances adding to the Meath experience. Ross Ryan (11) and John O'Regan (two) were the only other starters who had played senior before, while Darragh Campion made his eighth appearance for the Royals from the bench.

Wicklow tried to exploit that inexperience early on and rattled the crossbar in the third minute when Oisin McGraynor shot.

However, once Meath settled they moved the ball well and with composure to set up Niall Finnerty for the opening score, a two-pointer that gave Meath a lead.

Jack Hardy replied with a point for Wicklow before a brilliant block by Oran Smullen denied Joe Prendergast a goal. McGowan's powerful run saw his shot narrowly wide and in the 13th minute Wicklow drew level with a Chris O'Brien point.

A minute later Gray, the lively Oisin Martin, the excellent Ross Ryan and Moriarty combined well to create a goal chance. Moriarty's fisted centre was cleared back in the Curraha man's direction and he punched it to the net - Meath never looked back.

Brilliant work from the outstanding Rian McConnell set up Finnerty to race away and point before JP Nolan squandered another decent goal chance for Wicklow.

Points from Martin and Moriarty either side of a beautifully stroked two-pointer from Gray stretched Meath's lead to 1-7 to 0-2 by the 23rd minute as Wicklow struggled against a solid Meath defence that was superbly marshalled by Dwane, Ryan and John O'Regan.

McGraynor responded with a 13 metre free for Wicklow and Dean Healy added a point from play before Killian Smyth added a second goal for Meath with the last kick of the half to ensure a 2-7 to 0-4 interval lead.

Wicklow made five changes at the break, while Meath brought in Campion and Sean Emmanuel to add to the first half introduction of Ciaran McCarrick for the injured Smullen.

The changes had the desired effect for Wicklow with Jackson landing a two-point free and Paidi Kavanagh fisting over inside three minutes of the restart.

After Moriarty hit the upright Meath were further punished by points from Eoin Darcy (which was actually flicked off the line and over the bar by Charlie O'Connor) and Healy which closed the deficit to 0-9 to 2-7.

Moriarty finally added to Meath's first-half tally with a 43rd minute free, but Wicklow wasted another goal chance as Moore saved and the defence scrambled clear to deny Sean Murphy.

Another Moriarty restored Meath's six-point lead and after Padraig O'Toole had a goal chance tipped over by Moore Moriarty and Martin added to Meath's tally to make it 2-11 to 0-10 with seven minutes remaining.

O'Toole's stunning goal and Jackson's two-point free did set up a tense finish, but with Dwane's saving clearance Meath held on to open the new year with a fine win against all the odds.

Meath - Finn Moore (Rathkenny); Oran Smullen (Na Fianna), Gerry Dwane (Trim), Shane Gibney (Moylagh); Killian Smyth (Castletown 1-0), John O'Regan (Skryne), Ross Ryan (Summerhill); Conor Gray (Dunshaughlin 0-2 two-pointer), Charlie O'Connor (Dunshaughlin); Daithi McGowan (Ratoath), Rian McConnell (Castletown), Oisin Martin (Wolfe Tones 0-2); Gary Breslin (Meath Hill), Diarmuid Moriarty (Curraha 1-4 two frees), Niall Finnerty (Skryne 0-3 one two-pointer). Subs - Ciaran McCarrick (Dunshaughlin) for Smullen 29m, Sean Emmanuel (St Patrick's) Gray, Darragh Campion for Breslin both half-time, Mark Coffey (Ballinabrackey) for Finnerty 46m, Conor Ennis (Ballinabrackey) for Ryan 55m.

Wicklow - Mark Jackson (0-4 two two-point frees); Cathal Baker, Jacques McCall, Gavin Fogarty; Joe Prendergast, Tom Moran, Darragh Fee; Dean Healy (0-2), Jack Hardy (0-1); Conor Fee, JP Nolan, Chris O'Brien (0-1); Oisin McGraynor (0-1 free), Sean Murphy, Eoin Darcy (0-1). Subs - Conall O Gallchobhair for D Fee, Eoin Murtagh for Baker, James Fleming for Prendergast, Liam O'Neill for C Fee, Paidi Kavanagh (0-1) for O'Brien all half-time, Padraig O'Toole (1-1) for McGraynor 46m, Aaron O'Brien for McCall, Oisin Murphy for J Hardy, Ryan Harrison for S Murphy all 55m.

Referee - Paddy McDermott (Kildare).