Meath 2-11
Kildare 1-13

Ian Baker reports from Páirc Tailteann, Navan

THE MEATH U20 footballers are on course to reach an EirGird Leinster semi-final after they defeated Kildare by a single point in Páirc Tailteann this afternoon.

Two second-half goals from midfielder Darragh Campion and substitute Jordan Morris, turned a game that was tied six times by the 34th minute.

Despite trailing by 2-10 to 0-11 in the 47th minute, Jimmy Hyland responded with a
54th minute goal for Kildare after Brian McLoughlin scored his third point.

Even though Morris and McLoughlin traded points by the 67th minute, Kildare couldn’t get through Meath’s midfield or around their defensive structure in the five minutes of injury-time.

On the strength of Laois defeating Wicklow by a point in the corresponding fixture, had Kildare won, it would have almost guaranteed Kildare a Leinster semi-final and the avoidance of Dublin before a possible final.

As it now stands, Meath are in pole position in this group and are on course to reach Leinster semi-final as the group’s top team, winning two games from two.

They do, however, have a tricky game against Laois in the final round, who only lost to Kildare by a point and defeated Wicklow by a tight margin.

Fine first-half performances from Kildare’s Jimmy Hyland and Tony Archbold gave them a one-point lead, 0-9 to 0-8, at half-time but Meath’s James Conlon, scorer of three first-half points, levelled the game for the sixth time in the 34th minute. Though quiet in the second half, Conlon was instrumental for Meath in the first half.

Paddy Woodgate and McLoughlin openrf up a 0-11 to 0-9 lead by the 42nd minute for Kildare before Frank O’Reilly’s third point left one between the teams.

Relying on short kickouts to negate Meath’s midfield, Kildare coughed up the two
winning goals in quick succession as Campion and Morris found the net in a five minute period.

Kildare responded through a Hyland goal but the five-point margin proved difficult to erase with Meath’s defence.

Scorers for Meath: Darragh Campion, Jordan Morris 1-1 each, James Conlon 0-4, Frank O’Reilly 0-3 (0-2f), Sean Reilly, Conor Moriarty 0-1 each.

Scorers for Kildare: Jimmy Hyland 1-3 (0-2f), Brian McLoughlin 0-4 (0-3f), Paddy Woodgate 0-2, T Archbold, Ruadhan Ó Giolláin, S Doran, David Marnell 0-1 each.

Meath

1. Adam McDermott

2. Robbie Clarke
3. Conor Harnan
24. Kieran Slavin

5. Sean Reilly
6. Éanna O’Kelly-Lynch
7. Sean Ryan

8. Darragh Campion
9. Adam Murphy

10. Eoin Smith
11. Ethan Devine
12. Frank O’Reilly

13. Conor Moriarty
14. Conor O’Byrne
19. James Conlon

Subs

21. Jason Scully for Moriarty (half-time)
23. Jordan Morris for O’Byrne (36)
22. Adam Kealy for Reilly (40)
18. Darren Gibney for Murphy (54)
15. Shane McDonnell for O’Reilly (55)
17. James Cassidy for Smith (62)

Kildare

1. Aaron O’Neill

17. DJ Earley
21. Jack Barrett
4. Mark Dempsey

5. Mark Barrett
6. Jason Gibbons
7. Ruadhan Ó Giolláin

8. Aaron Masterson
9. David Marnell

22. Brian McLoughlin
11. Sam Doran
12. Tony Archbold

13. Jimmy Hyland
14. Paddy Woodgate
15. Darragh Ryan

Subs

23. Cian Costigan for Doran (36)
10. Padraig Nash for Barrett (36)
20. Shane O’Sullivan for Marnell (44)
19. Stephen Comerford for O’Giolláin (52)
24. Niall Murphy for Woodgate (52)

Referee: Patrick Maguire (Longford)

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