Meath edge out neighbours to set up semi-final tussle with Dublin

OLD foes Dublin will provide the opposition in the semi-final of the Leinster under-20 FC after Meath saw off the challenge of Westmeath in a quarter final tie at a rain sodden Ashbourne on a 0-8 to 1-3 scoreline tonight, writes Sean Wall.

The game will be at a Meath venue next Tuesday evening, either Pairc Tailteann or Ashbourne.

The draw was made shortly after the two quarter finals ended and Kildare, following their win over Louth, will face Laois in the other last four tie.

The two-point winning margin doesn’t tell the full story of Meath’s win and while they had to ground it out in the closing stages it was a little more comfortable than the scoreline suggests for John McCarthy’s side.

Meath were seven points clear in the third quarter as the visitors failed to open their account until the 47th minute when their captain Senan Baker pointed.

They still had a six-point advantage heading into added time before Westmeath snatched a point and then a goal from the penalty spot from Baker with the last kick of the game.

However it was in the opening half when Westmeath had the advantage of the strong breeze that the game was won and lost.

The midlanders kicked six wides in that first 30 minutes and dropped two other efforts short as they squandered a number of gilt-edged chances to open their account.

Meath, who welcomed back Billy Hogan, Ciaran Caulfield and Alan Bowden following injury, were much more economical with possession against the elements and by half-time had built up a three points lead.

Caulfield who was excellent throughout the half contributed the opening two scores and Eoghan Frayne fisted over for a third.

Meath lost midfielder Conor Gray to a black card on 28 minutes but Westmeath were unable to make any sort of inroads during their spell with a numerical advantage.

The Royals stretched their lead with three further points in a two-minute spell in the third quarter. Frayne accounted for two of those scores while Caulfield’s point on 40 minutes left Meath six clear.

Brian Cooney went close to opening Westmeath’s account but his goal effort was blocked by ‘keeper Billy Hogan and John O’Regan eventually cleared the danger.

Meath also went close to finding the net but ‘keeper Michael Lynam did well to keep out a stinging effort from Frayne. The Summerhill man hit back with his fourth point before Senan Baker, son of two-times Clare All-Ireland hurling winner Ollie, eventually opened Westmeath account.

Almost immediately wing back Jack Geoghegan added a second point for the midlanders but Westmeath momentum was halted by Liam Stafford’s 56th minute point.

Westmeath pressed hard in the closing stages and Baker was unlucky to see his fierce drive from a close range free rebound off the inside of a post on 58 minutes.

The game was in added time when Dylan Murtagh fisted a third point for Westmeath and then in the last action of the game the referee awarded the visitors a penalty after consulting with his umpires.

Baker made no mistake from the spot kick but there was to be no grandstand finish as the final whistle went before Billy Hogan had time to take the kick out.

SCORERS

Meath – Eoghan Frayne 0-4 one free; Ciaran Caulfield 0-3; Liam Stafford 0-1.

Westmeath - Senan Baker 1-1 1-0 penalty; Jack Geoghegan 0-1; Dylan Murtagh 0-1.

TEAMS

Meath – Billy Hogan; Brian O’Halloran, Liam Kelly, Conor Ennis; Brian O’Reilly, John O’Regan, John Finnerty; Jack Kinlough, Conor Gray; Ciaran Caulfield, Eoghan Frayne, Liam Stafford; Alan Bowden, Oisin Keogh, Shaun Leonard. Subs – Killian Smyth for Caulfield 45 mins, Con Smith for Bowden 53m, Ben Moran for Stafford 56m, Aaron Murphy for Leonard 57m.

Westmeath – Michael Lynam; Cian Lee, Sam Smyth, Liam Daly; Daniel Scahill, Tom Kelleher, Jack Geoghegan; Dylan Murtagh, Ben Killian; Podge Quinn, Danny McCartan, Daragh Lowry; Brian Cooney, Shane Hanley, Senan Baker. Subs - Tadhg Baker for Killian 45 mins, Shane Corcoran for Hanley 46m, Adam Keane for Lee 54m, Charlie Kennedy for Scahill 57m..

Referee – Darragh Byrne (Wicklow)