Minors cruise to semis
A superb final quarter performance saw Giles side ease their way to the semi-finals of the Leinster MFC
Meath 5-16
Offaly 0-9
SEAN WALL
A last quarter kick that the great Usain Bolt would have been proud of left Meath out of sight in this Electric Ireland MFC quarter final at Glenisk O’Connor Park, Tullamore on Tuesday evening.
A six point interval advantage that stretched to eight before been reduced back to three in the third quarter tested Meath’s mettle but they responded in the best possible fashion with a devastating burst that yielded five goals and five points. It completely blew the Faithful County away and took the goal tally to 17 for the last three matches.
Wing back Liam O’Donoghue started the goal fest and Conn Brennan, Tomás Proudfoot, and substitutes Dara Loughran and Harris Moffat also raised green flags with two of the goals coming in the three minutes of added time. The goal tally could have been even greater with the Offaly crossbar tested on three different occasions.
Offaly too could have had a couple of goals but an excellent save from keeper Cormac Fitzsimons and a brilliant block from Alex Keane kept the hosts attack at bay.
Taking the ‘scenic route’ and having to play a preliminary quarter final has certainly boosted Meath hopes and improved them out of all recognition and they now have momentum very much behind them as the championship reaches the business end.
It was a game that took a while to catch fire with just five points in the opening quarter before Meath produced a strong finish to the half to lead 0-8 to 0-2 at the break.
Early points from Harry McGuirk and Cormac McKenna had Meath ahead before Darragh Stewart opened Offaly’s account. Cormac Walsh then converted a free and Sean Monahan replied at the other end to leave it 0-3 to 0-2 at the midpoint of the first half.
Meath began to dominate for most of the remainder of the half and while scores didn’t flow as readily as the previous two outings they managed to put daylight between themselves and their opponents.
Trim’s Cormac Walsh was outstanding in attack and took his tally of points to four for the half while Tomás Dillon and Thomas Proudfoot also added points.
Walsh and McKenna added to the Meath tally at the start of the second half before Paddy Burns (two frees), Joe Furey and Dara Waldron had four in a row for a rejuvenated Offaly.
Milo Stafford converted a ’45, a timely score for Meath on 40 minutes. A two-pointer free from Burns reduced the deficit even further but again Meath replied with a point from Harry McGuirk.
Proudfoot and Dara Loughran were involved in the move that presented O’Donoghue with a simple slap in for the first goal and suddenly the floodgates opened.
Brennan and Walsh added further points before Brennan struck for a second goal on 53 minutes which left it 2-14 to 0-8.
The game was over as a contest with that score but a ravishing Meath smelled blood and went for the jugular. The impressive Loughran hit goal number three and another sub Harris Moffat accounted for 1-1 while midfielder Proudfoot also found the net. Caolan Comey completed the scoring from a free in the final minute of added time.
Meath – Cormac Fitzsimons; Ben Browne, Tomás Clarke, Niall Rogan; Liam O’Donoghue (1-0), John Killoran, Niall Smyth; Tomás Proudfoot (1-1), Alex Keane; Cormac McKenna (0-2), Harry McGuirk (0-2), Conn Brennan (1-1); Cormac Walsh (0-6 two frees), Milo Stafford (0-1 ’45), Tomás Dillon (0-1). Subs – Harry Keating for Killoran 36, Dara Loughran (1-0) for Dillon 46m, Caolan Comey (0-1 one free) for Stafford 54m, Harris Moffat (1-1) for Walsh 55m, Leo Kavanagh for O’Donoghue 56m.
Offaly – Ryan Casey; Cormac Staunton, Oran Kenny, Jake Conlon; James Slevin, Cathal Carroll, Stephen Murrihy; John Carroll, Patrick Duffy; Evan Daly, Darragh Stewart (0-1), Jamie Harvey; Dara Waldron (0-1), Paddy Burns (0-5 one two-point free, two frees), Sean Monahan (0-1). Subs – Keith O’Rourke for Daly half-time, Joe Furey (0-1) for Monahan 33m, Oliver Goulding for Harvey 44m.
Referee – Enda Kelly (Westmeath)