DUBLIN 2-16 MEATH 2-14
(After extra-time)
Points in the second half of extra-time from Bernard Brogan and Paddy Andrews saw Dublin hold off Meath to capture the O’Byrne Shield at Parnell Park on Saturday night in front of a crowd of 4,500.
Dublin looked to have stolen the initiative in the opening minute of extra-time when Bryan Cullen boxed a sublimely accuracy centre from Paddy Andrews to the net.
However, in the last minute of the first period of extra-time Joe Sheridan blasted home his second goal of night as the teams entered the extra-time break on level terms, 2-14 each.
The Dubs had two scoring chances in the second half of extra-time – with Brogan (free) and Andrews on target while two chances spurned by the Royals told their tale of missed opportunities; Meath hitting 16 wides against Dublin’s ten over the course of the 90 plus minutes.
In normal time Meath made the better start with points through Brian Farrell and Sheridan and their long ball tactic into a very tall and powerful full-forward line was causing problems for the Dublin defence but the hard-running of the likes of Dean Kelly and Kevin McManamon was paying dividends at the other end as Pat Gilroy’s men led 1-9 to 0-7 at half-time in normal time.
Dublin’s goal came in the 15th minute when Kelly, Bernard Brogan and Tomas Quinn combined superbly for the St Vincent’s man to sidefoot the ball to the net.
Entering the concluding five minutes Dublin looked set for victory as they led 1-13 to 0-10 – that was until the Royals laid seige to the Dublin goal and were rewarded with a 68th minute penalty that Joe Sheridan dispatched to the roof of the net and points from Cian Ward, Conor Gillespie and Paddy Gilsenan forced the game into extra-time.
DUBLIN – Scorers: K McManamon, B Brogan (0-4f) 0-4 each, T Quinn, B Cullen 1-1 each, D Connolly 0-2, D Lally, G Cullen, B Cahill, P Andrews 0-1 each. Meath: J Sheridan 2-2 (1-0 pen), S O’Rourke 0-4 (1f), G Reilly 0-3, C Ward 0-2 (1f), C Gillespie, B Farrell, P Gilsenan 0-1 each.
DUBLIN – S Cluxton; D Daly, S Murray, M Fitzsimons; D Lally, G Brennan, P Casey; D Bastick, C Murphy; D Kelly, K McManamon, D Connolly; B Brogan, G Cullen, T Quinn. Subs: P Flynn for Connolly (ht), B Cullen for McManamon (44), A Brogan for G Cullen (51), A Hubbard for Fitzsimons (56), B Cahill for Murphy (56), J McCarthy for Daly (68, blood injury), M Savage for Cluxton (ft), W Lowry for Kelly (ft), MD Macauley for Bastick (ft), P Andrews for Quinn (ft), C McKiernan for Casey (82), McManamon for B Brogan (86), Quinn for Lally (87), Bastick for Brennan (90, blood injury).
MEATH – P O’Rourke; G O’Brien, C King, K Reilly; S McAnarney, B Menton, C McGuinness; M Ward, C Gillespie; S Kenny, B Farrell, D Morgan; P Gilsenan, J Sheridan, S O’Rourke. Subs: G Reilly for Morgan (29), B Meade for K Reilly (ht), N Crawford for M Ward (43), A Moyles for Farrell (43), C Ward for McGuinness (56), Farrell for Gilsenan (75), D Dalton for McAnarney (inj 79), D Keogan for Kenny (89).
REF – S Carroll (Westmeath).
