Frayne inspires Meath to opening round draw

In a game that had a strong resemblance of the 2021 All-Ireland MFC final, Meath and Tyrone played out a thoroughly enjoyable 1-9 to 0-12 stalemate in the opening round of the u-20 Development League in Ashbourne this afternoon, writes Davy Rispin.

Meath included seven starters from that 2021 minor decider against the Red Hand along with a strong cohort of the Leinster Championship winning team from the year previous.

The visitors started strongly with the magical Ruairí Canavan pointing twice in the opening stages before Liam Stafford opened the Royals account in the fifth minute.

Meath captain Eoghan Frayne boosted John McCarthy’s charges with an improvised goal at the end of the opening quarter. A Hughie Corcoran free was punched clear from under his crossbar by Tyrone goalkeeper Oisin Miller but the predatorial Frayne was on hand to blast to the net.

Canavan converted a mark to put Tyrone within one prior to the outstanding Brian O’Halloran marauding forward to open up a 1-2 to 0-3 advantage for the hosts.

Alan Bowden thought he found another goal for Meath after he lofted a pinpoint Frayne delivery over the advancing Miller. However, despite the umpire initially raising the green flag, the goal was chalked off following further consultation with referee Dave Fedigan.

Nonetheless, Frayne did make it a three-point game with a pointed free but a hat-trick of scores from Canavan (two) and Sean O’Donnell restored parity, 1-3 to 0-6.

The excellent Frayne did ensure a half-time lead for his side by bringing the curtain down on a breathless half with a terrific point from the most acute of angles.

The Summerhill man continued his scoring exploits early in the second-half with a brace of points to re-establish the three-point buffer for the men in green.

Tyrone’s response was emphatic though, hitting six of the next seven points to wrestle back the initiative.

The mercurial Canavan notched a further couple of points to narrow the deficit to one before the equally classy Frayne lofted over another with 15 minutes to go.

McCarthy emptied his bench introducing no fewer than seven second-half substitutes to freshen things up and rest up some key players due to the upcoming heavy workload.

The changes did not initially have the desired affect and a devastating five-minute salvo from the Ulster men yielded four points with O’Donnell, Lorcan McGarrity and an eight and ninth point of the afternoon from Canavan putting Tyrone firmly in the driving seat entering the closing stages.

Fittingly, there was a storming end to a pulsating contest with Meath conjuring up a couple of late scores to ensure a share of the spoils.

Ruairi Kinsella’s expertly measured kick dropped agonisingly over the crossbar and from the next play, substitute Tom Bowden with his first touch of the ball calmly slotted over the equaliser.

Both sides threatened a winner but were made to settle for the draw and the tantalising prospect of another meeting later in the year.

Meath - Billy Hogan; Brian O’Halloran (0-1), Liam Kelly, Conor Ennis; Shaun Leonard, John O’Regan, Brian O’Reilly; Jack Kinlough, Conor Grey; Liam Stafford (0-1), Eoghan Frayne (1-5 two frees), Ciaran Caulfield; Hughie Corcoran, Alan Bowden, Ruairi Kinsella (0-1). Subs - John McDonagh for Corcoran 40m, Sean Emmanuel for Grey 42m, John Finnerty for Caulfield 43m, Lorcan O’Connor for Frayne 46m, Fursey Blake for Kelly 51m, Ben Moran for O’Halloran 51m, Tom Bowden (0-1) for Stafford 57m.

Tyrone - Oisin Miller; Shea O’Hare, Enda McCaffrey, Conor Colton; Dan Muldoon, Fionnbharr Taggart, Ben Cullen; Dara Hynes, Oisín Gormley; Conor Cush, James Donaghy, Ruairí Canavan (0-9 three frees, one mark); Sean O’Donnell (0-2), Lorcan McGarrity (0-1), Ronan Cassidy. Subs - Gavin Potter for Colton 42m, Gareth Donaghy for Cassidy 60m.

Referee - Dave Fedigan (Louth).