Royals put Longford to the sword and seal semi-final spot

Meath were dominant in their victory over Longford at Clonguish on Wednesday evening.

Meath 3-1-13 (24)

Longford 0-2-8 (12)

Cathal O Bric’s Meath booked their spot in the Leinster u-20 FC semi-final with a comfortable victory over Longford on Wednesday in Clonguish. The Royals were dominant in the first half and despite a strong showing from their opponents after the break, the result never really looked in doubt.

Colin Scanlon captalised when Longford failed to clear their lines and raised Meath’s first green flag as the Royals raced into a seven-point lead after 20 minutes.

Cian Commons’ got on the end of a long John Harkin free and fisted the ball to the net just before the interval which gave the Royals a cosy cushion of nine points at the break.

At one stage during the third quarter, the home side started to gather some momentum but the game was put to bed when Meath scored 0-6 on the spin between the 42nd and 48th minute.

Adam Ducie put the icing on the cake when he scored Meath’s third goal in injury time. The trio of green flags that Meath raised on Wednesday evening epitomised the Royals’ thirst for goals and they have scored 11 in their three games so far.

Longford were the first to draw blood when Patrick Mollahan notched an early point. Harkin responded with a free before Ben Corkery, who was lively for Meath in the first-half, set up Commons and the Seneschalstown man edged Meath in front in the 12th minute. After that, the Royals never relinquished the lead.

Stephen Cahill's shot was initially saved by Darragh Egan but the ball fell loose for Scanlon and he found the back of the net. Longford then had an opportunity for a goal themselves but Ronan Burke’s effort was well blocked by Paul Hennessey.

Meath then transitioned well and Eoin McCrudden put the Royals five points ahead after he got on the end of a move that had some brilliant link-up play between Michael McIvor and Cormac Smith. Corkery then scored a brace of points in quick succession which handed Meath a 1-5 to 0-1 lead after 20 minutes.

Max Gallagher pulled one back for Longford before Corkery sliced his way through the Longford defence and took aim at the net, only to be denied by Egan. Mollahan reduced the gap back to five before Meath finished out the half with a flourish.

Cormac O’Donoghue got on the end of well-worked move and stretched the gap back to six. Harkin dropped a long-range free into the danger zone, Commons jumped highest and powerfully fisted the ball to the net. On the cusp of half-time, Meath had another chance for a goal but once again Egan denied Corkery and at the break the Royals led 2-6 to 0-3.

Soon after the restart, O’Donoghue did well under pressure to get a pass away to Cormac Smith and he chipped in with a score before Harkin put Meath 11 points ahead. Longford then began to find their rhythm and points from substitute Sean Fagan and Cormac Flynn was followed up by a very well struck two-point free courtesy of Luke Donnelly.

Smith then produced a wonderful piece of skill as he tapped the ball over the head of a Longford defender before he split the posts for his second point. Harkin and Cahill stretched the Royals' lead again and at the end of the third quarter, Meath led 2-11 to 0-7.

Egan was kept busy in between the sticks for Longford and in the 46th minute, he denied O’Donoghue a great chance for a goal. Meath worked the ball back out to Paul Hennessy who raised an orange flag to put the Royals ahead by 13 points.

In the final quarter, Meath slightly took the foot of the pedal and Longford experienced a nice purple patch. Between the 49th and 59th minute, Longford registered five points including a two-pointer and two singles from Mollahan which reduced the gap back to eight points.

However, time ran out for the home side as Meath finished with a flourish with a point from Sean Delaney and a nice goal scored by Adam Ducie, his third of the campaign.

Meath - Finn Moore; Cillian Yore, Sam Jordan, Shane Callaghan; Cormac Smith (0-2), Colin Scanlon (1-0), Kyle O’Brien; Michael McIvor, Paul Hennessey ( 0-2 two-pointer); Eoin McCrudden (0-1), John Harkin (0-3 two frees), Stephen Cahill (0-1); Ben Corkery (0-2), Cian Commons (1-2), Cormac O’Donoghue (0-1). Subs - Charlie Gallagher for McIvor 46m, Adam Ducie (1-0) for Corkery 48m, John Gormley for Scanlon 50m, Liam Jennings for Commons both 55m, Sean Delaney (0-1) for Harkin 57m.

Longford - Darragh Egan; Alex Nugent, Ronan Burke, Mark Cooney; Conor McHugh, Colin Gilna, Willian MmEntire; Daniel Galvin, Max Gallagher (0-1); Peter Farrell, Jamie Dorr, Luke Donnelly (0-2 two-point free); James Hagan (0-1), Patrick Mollahan (0-6 two frees, one two-pointer), Cormac Flynn (0-1). Subs - Sean Fagan (0-1) for Galvin half-time, Kavin Baskett for McEntire, Sean Egan for Farrell both 50m.

Referee - Kevin Williamson (Offaly).