Meath manager Nick Fitzgerald and selector Paul Reilly.

Meath win Kehoe Cup shoot-out at Newbridge

Published: Sun 9 Dec 2018, 4:00 PM

Last updated: Sun 9 Dec 2018, 4:06 PM

Meath won the Kehoe Cup game against Kildare today at Newbridge in a dramatic penalty shoot-out as the new rule was used for the first time.

The sides finished at 1-15 each and it went straight to a shoot-out where Meath goalkeeper Paul Fagan saved twice and goals from Shane Quigley and Damien Healy saw Meath through by 2-0.

Kildare were quickly out of the blocks with a Kevin Whelan point and they also finished the half positively with a rather fortunate goal from Caolan Smith who capitalised on a handling error by full-back Damien Healy.

That goal gave Kildare a much-needed boost as they went to the dressing room trailing by four points (1-4 to 1-8) after Meath completely dominated the opening 35 minutes.

Padraig O'Hanrahan was the main man for Meath in the opening half with five points (four frees) while Stefan Kelly scrambled the goal in the 19th minute.Mikie Mullen, Fionn Ferguson and Sean Quigley added the remaining Meath points while Kildare sent over from Chris Bonus, Bernard Deauy and Conor Dowling.

The sides shared six third-quarter points as Meath maintained the interval advantage with a 1-11 to 1-8 lead. Quigley (two) and substitute Michael O'Grady sent over for Meath while Brian Byrne (two) and Diarmuid Cahill kept Kildare motoring.

Meath managed four more points with Geraghty, Quigley, Hanrahan (free) and Alan Douglas on target, but Kildare got back to parity at full-time (1-15 each) as Byrne (four), Ryan Casey (two) and Paul Divilly pointed.

In the shoot-out Meath scored two goals and Paul Fagan saved two KIldare penalties - points do not count. Kildare did not have to take a fifth penalty.