Meath’s Neil Shortall gets away from Sean Thornton of Louth in their replayed Leinster U21FC quarter-final clash at Pairc Tailteann
Louth U-21’s Leinster title ambitions came to an end at Pairc Tailteann last night after they went down to old foes Meath on a 1-13 to 0-10 scoreline.
After the two sides proved inseparable after 80 minutes in Clan na Gael Park the previous week, they were forced to meet again last night to determine who advanced to face Offaly in the semi-finals next week.
In the end five unanswered points late on proved the difference for the Royals as they booked their place in the last four at Louth’s expense.
The Wee County had managed to claw the deficit back to the minimum by the 51st minute when Cian Doyle’s point left it 1-8 to 0-10 but in the end the Royals had enough in the tank to run out somewhat flattering winners in the end.
A Joey Wallace goal before the break ensured that David Reilly’s side were always playing catch-up despite the best efforts of Hunterstown’s Ryan Burns, who once again contributed six points.
Unfortunately for Louth, so too did Meath’s Bryan McMahon as the visitors paid the price for not taking two goal chances that fell their way in the third quarter.
Equally the loss of Robert Brodigan to a black card when there was just a point in it after 43 minutes proved decisive.
Doyle’s late point had just a point between the sides for the seventh time but five unanswered scores meant that Meath claimed a six point win that didn’t really tell the whole story of how the game transpired.
Meath – Andy Colgan; Simon Carty, Conor McGill, David McQuillan; Brian Power, Shane Melia, Shane McEntee; Conor Sheridan, Adam Flanagan; Neil Shortall (0-1), Bobby O’Brien, Padraic Harnan; Eamon Wallace, Bryan McMahon (0-6, 4fs), Joey Wallace (1-0). Subs – Seamus Mattimoe (0-5, 2fs) for Eamon Wallace (9), Harry Rooney for Sheridan (42), Cathal Finn for Power (52), Barry Dardis (0-1) for J Wallace (60).
Louth – Nathaniel Cooney; Eoghan Lafferty, Dermot Campbell, Kieran Lenaghan; Darren McMahon, Robert Brodigan, Sean Thornton; Patrick Reilly, Wayne Campbell; Robert Quigley, James Stewart, Conall McKeever; Cian Doyle (0-1), Conor Grimes (0-3), Ryan Burns (0-6, 5fs). Subs – Robert Curran for Thornton (18), Ciaran Ward for Brodigan (44, black card), Robert Carr for McKeever (49), Kevin Hearty for Doyle (60).
Referee – Garreth Whelan (Wicklow)
Talk of the Town 