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Afternoon all, it’s Leinster senior football semi-final day in Croke Park.
Here’s what’s in store:
- Meath v Westmeath, 2pm
- Dublin v Kildare, 4pm
So can anyone stop the Dubs this year? We’ll see later if Kildare can come up with a plan to stifle them but before that it’s the turn of Meath or Westmeath to book a place in the decider on 12 July. Throw-in is at 2pm with Cork’s Conor Lane the referee for this one.
Let’s get to the team news then shall we?
Five changes to the Meath team. Royal County supremo Mick O’Dowd is rolling out the big guns for the showdown against the Lake County with Conor McGill, Mickey Burke, Bryan Menton, Kevin Reilly and Mickey Newman coming in for starts.
Davy Dalton, Nicky Judge and Brian Power make way in defence, with Adam Flanagan and Joey Wallace also dropping out.
Meath
1. Patrick O Rourke (Skryne)
2. James Mc Entee (Curraha)
3. Conor Mc Gill (Ratoath)
4. Donncha Tobin (Blackhall Gaels)
5. Mickey Burke (Longwood)
6. Donal Keogan (Rathkenny, Capt.)
7. Bryan Menton (Donaghmore Ashbourne)
8. Harry Rooney (Skryne)
9. Kevin Reilly (Navan O Mahony’s)
10. Graham Reilly (St. Colmcille’s)
11. Padraic Harnan (Moynalvey)
12. Andrew Tormey (Donaghmore Ashbourne)
13. Michael Newman (Kilmainham)
14. Stephen Bray (Navan O’Mahony’s)
15. Brian Mc Mahon (Ratoath)
There’s just the one change in the Westmeath team named by manager Tom Cribbin.
Lorcan Smyth has been called up ahead of Ronan Foley.
Westmeath
1. Darren Quinn (Tyrrellspass)
2. Killian Daly (Mullingar Shamrocks)
3. Kevin Maguire (Caulry)
4. John Gilligan (Ballymore)
5. Paddy Holloway (Castledaly)
6. Kieran Martin (Maryland)
7. James Dolan (Garrycastle)
8. Paul Sharry (St Loman’s)
9. Daragh Daly (Mullingar Shamrocks)
10. Ray Connellan (Athlone)
11. Ger Egan (Tyrrellspass, capt.)
12. Denis Corroon (Mullingar Shamrocks)
13. Lorcan Smyth (Mullingar Shamrocks)
14. John Heslin (St Loman’s)
15. Shane Dempsey (St Loman’s)
Here’s the Meath subs:
Conor McHugh, Adam Flanagan, Eamon Wallace, David Dalton, Joey Wallace, Brian Power, Sean Tobin, Donal Lenihan, Damien Carroll, Nicky Judge, Jamie Queeney.
And here’s the Westmeath subs:
Gary Connaughton, Francis Boyle, John Connellan, John Egan, Ronan Foley, Kieran Gavin, Dennis Glennon, Jamie Gonoud, Paul Greville, David Lynch, John Stapleton.
Meath 0-1 Westmeath 0-0
Lightning start by Meath as Stephen Bray knocks over an early point.
Meath 0-2 Westmeath 0-0
Graham Reilly doubles Meath’s lead with Eamonn Wallace, a late inclusion in attack instead of Mickey Newman, setting up the point again.
Meath 0-2 Westmeath 0-1
Westmeath pull a point back, an excellent outside of the right effort from John Heslin.
Meath 0-4 Westmeath 0-1
Meath looking really sharp in attack in the early stages as Eamonn Wallace turns scorer on this occasion off his left.
Meath 0-5 Westmeath 0-1
Meath so close to hitting the net early on but Bryan McMahon’s palmed effort is denied by the upright. Then Graham Reilly charges through to clip over a point that sends Meath four clear.
Meath 0-6 Westmeath 0-1
Stephen Bray pops up with his second point of the day, firing over off his left for Meath.
Second big goal chance of the day for Meath but they’re foiled as Mickey Newman, a temporary substitute, shoots against the legs of Darren Quinn.
Meath well on top so far, they’ve a five point lead and could have struck for two goals as well. It’s noticeable as well how well Kevin Reilly is playing back in defence for Meath in the sweeper role with Westmeath devoid of attacking inspiration so far.
Meath 0-8 Westmeath 0-1
Meath stamping their authority on the scoreboard now with Bryan Menton and Wallace tacking on further points.
Meath 0-9 Westmeath 1-3
And suddenly there’s some life in this game! Westmeath’s supporters in full voice as they have a few scores to shout about. John Heslin swings over a free and Shane Dempsey registers one from play, while Eamonn Wallace bangs over his third point of the day for Meath.
But the centrepiece of this scoring burst was Kieran Martin galloping forward for Westmeath from his number six berth and firing home a goal just like he did against Wexford.
Meath 2-10 Westmeath 1-3
And the complexion of this game has completely changed now. We thought there was a bit of a contest emerging but Meath look to have killed off the match at an early juncture. It’s two emphatic finishes to the net from Bryan McMahon for Meath but the Westmeath defence was carved open by long deliveries. Andrew Tormey adds a point from a free and Meath are gone ten clear.
Subs
Westmeath ring the changes but it could be too late for them to force their way back into this. John Connellan comes on for midfielder Daragh Daly and corner-back Killian Daly is replaced by Jamie Gonoud.
Meath 2-10 Westmeath 1-5
A pair of points in quick succession for Westmeath courtesy of Heslin and Dempsey.
Meath 2-12 Westmeath 1-6
The one-way traffic continues. Wallace and Reilly point for Meath, that’s a combined 0-7 from play so far for that duo. Martin replies by smacking over a fine point for Westmeath.
Eight-point lead for Meath at the break, they’re well on top. Westmeath need a huge turnaround to get back in to contention here.
Scorers for Meath: Brian McMahon 2-1, Eamon Wallace 0-4, Graham Reilly 0-3, Stephen Bray 0-2, Bryan Menton, Andrew Tormey (0-1f) 0-1 each.
Scorers for Westmeath: John Heslin 0-4 (0-3f), Kieran Martin 1-1, Shane Dempsey 0-2.
Sub: Westmeath make one change at the break as David Lynch comes in for Lorcan Smyth.
Meath 2-12 Westmeath 1-9
John Connellan on the mark with a pair of points to get Westmeath off to a fine start in the second-half.
Meath 2-13 Westmeath 1-9
Graham Reilly knocks over a neat point after a fine Meath team move splits open the Westmeath rearguard.
Sub: Another Westmeath change as Denis Glennon becomes the latest player to be introduced, at the expense of Shane Dempsey on this occasion.
Meath 2-13 Westmeath 1-10
Heslin slots over a free after being fouled himself and Westmeath are facing a six-point deficit once more.
Meath 2-14 Westmeath 1-11
Points swapped as Tormey converts a free for Meath and Heslin hits a ’45 for Westmeath.
Subs: Meath bring in David Dalton and Adam Flanagan for Michael Burke and Harry Rooney.
Graham Reilly is gone off for Meath are being shown a black card with Michael Newman coming on to replace him.
Meath 2-16 Westmeath 1-11
Great impact by Newman as he floats over a point moments after coming on. McMahon adds another soon after and Meath are coasting clear once more.
Meath 2-17 Westmeath 1-11
And the gap continues to grow as Bray knocks over another for Meath.
Meath 2-17 Westmeath 2-11
Goal for Westmeath! Kieran Martin with his second of the game.
Meath 2-17 Westmeath 2-12
Fine point off his left by John Heslin. Westmeath coming back in to this?
Meath 2-17 Westmeath 2-13
Heslin on target again, this time from a ’45 and the gap is down to four.
Meath 2-17 Westmeath 2-14
And incredibly it’s back now to three points! Ray Connellan with the latest Westmeath point and their supporters are springing to life around Croke Park.
Meath 2-17 Westmeath 2-15
Another fine point from Heslin and Westmeath are only two adrift now!
Meath 2-18 Westmeath 2-15
That’s a really important point for Meath to settle their nerves as Newman converts a free into Hill 16.
Black card for Meath’s Donncha Tobin are he dragged back Westmeath sub John Connellan.
Meath 2-18 Westmeath 2-16
Heslin confidently steps up to slot over another free for Westmeath and and then he hits the post from play with a chance to cut the gap to the minimum! Huge excitement here.
Meath 2-18 Westmeath 2-17
And now the gap is back to one. A clumsy foul by Meath sub Brian Power and Heslin does the rest form the free.
Meath 2-18 Westmeath 2-18
It’s level! Kieran Martin tears in the endline for Westmeath and fists over a point. After being eight down at half-time and nine early in the second-half, Westmeath are level!
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Westmeath 3-19 Meath 2-18
This is absolutely amazing, what a revival from Westmeath.
And now Meath’s Paddy O’Rourke has been shown a red card for a foul on Kieran Martin.
Reignited the debate?? I can tell ya there’s fxck all debate in Kilkenny anyway
Who would be considered next in line for the job down there?
It won’t be anyone too far outside the camp…probably James mcgarry I’d imagine
Get won’t ever have the problem of staying on too long as a manager anywhere.
@GoT: Brian Cody’s baseball cap
Davy fitz has signalled his intentions after his Wexford jig is up.
Jig is more appropriate description!
At the moment: there will be debate when they are hammered again next year
Obviously it’s gonna be hard for KK when Cody goes, but that’ll be the case regardless of whether it’s next year or ten years from now. Hard to know what Ger’s point is.
@Lurfic: It was a nonsense argument where he drew parallels between the world of football and inter-county hurling, which were neither here nor there.
Ger is missing the limelight since the championship finished so he has to generate some interest in himself! Based on the experiences in 2001, 05, 10 and 13, it’s not even a debate that Cody stays to turn things around. The question could be posed in 2 years time if no further AI’s are won but not now. Go home Ger, you’re drunk!
He’s ahead of the game. It’s unlikely they will win anything next year.
It’s fair points and I see comparisons but cody is staying for 2 reasons Imo. He must feel he has something coming through and 2 he doesn’t want to end his reign on a loss to tipp in a AI final. Now in saying that if kk collapse next year he could be gone but he has all the time in the world to manage inter county as he’s retired
I gave up making opinions on Brian Cody tbh.Every time that people say that he and his KK team is finished,is ultimately the time that they go off and win.Its like they thrive on people doubting they’re ability to win after a big setback
And its Ger Loughnane saying it, a man who has done diddly squat compared to Cody. I doubt Brian will lie awake tonight worrying about what Ger thinks
Loughnane is a prat , likes to think he has some knowledge of current hurling, he’s living in the past a long time now, but in fairness getting well paid for it, the big mutton head
No great fan of Loughnane’s but in fairness his achievement of winning 2 All Irelands with a bunch of lads who had won feck all at underage deserves respect.
Cody can do as he likes in KK I would imagine.
At the end of the day, after Cody goes its up to the underage structures in Killkenny to keep the talent coming through. look at the KK clubs constantly doing well in Leinster.
The comparison with Fergie sums it all up. Those who came after Fergie had about half a billion to spend. Those who come after Cody will have the talent that KK have produced.
Outside of Kilkenny, other counties would be queuing up for Cody’s services! Brilliant manager, and as long as he remains interested, it is rubbish to suggest that he would serve his county best by walking away! Put it this way, who would do a better job in KK? Loughnane just being his usual contentious self imo!
Kk won 4 of the last 6 all Irelands.. why would he go ???