IT’S THE ROYALS against the Lilywhites in the first of today’s Leinster senior football semi-finals. We’re going to follow the action all the way.
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Result: Meath 2-16 Kildare 0-17
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Afternoon and welcome to Croke Park on Leinster senior football semi-final day.
Here’s how the teams will start today:
Kildare
1. Mark Donnellan – Maynooth
2. Hugh McGrillen – Celbridge
3. Michael Foley – Athy
4. Emmet Bolton – Eadestown
5. Ollie Lyons – Celbridge
6. Fergal Conway – Celbridge
7. Keith Cribbin – Johnstownbridge
8. Tommy Moolick – Leixlip
9. Padraig O’Neill – St Laurences
10. Cathal McNally – Johnstownbridge
11. Eamonn Callaghan – Naas
12. Sean Hurley – Johnstownbridge
13. Niall Kelly – Athy
14. Padraig Fogarty – St Laurence’s
15. Paddy Brophy – Celbridge
Meath
1. Patrick O’Rourke – Skryne
2. Caolan Young – Summerhill
3. Kevin Reilly – Navan O’Mahony’s
4. Michael Burke – Longwood
5. Padraic Harnan – Moynalvey
6. Donal Keogan – Rathkenny
7. Damien Carroll – Ballinabrackey
8. Brian Meade – Rathkenny
9. Bryan Menton – Donaghmore/Ashbourne
10. Donncha Tobin – Blackhall Gaels
11. Shane O’Rourke – Simonstown Gaels
12. Andrew Tormey – Donaghmore/Ashbourne
13. Graham Reilly – St Colmcille’s
14. Stephen Bray – Navan O’Mahony’s
15. Bryan McMahon – Ratoath
Both teams out on the pitch and warming up ahead of the 2pm throw-in. Clare’s Rory Hickey is the referee.
Here’s the substitutes ahead of the game:
Kildare: 16. Shane Connolly, 17. Gary White, 18, Ciaran Fitzpatrick, 19. David Hyland, 20, Eoghan O’Flaherty, 21. Kevin Murnaghan, 22. Eoin Doyle, 23. Alan Smith, 24. Jonathon Byrne, 25. Mikey Conway, 26. Tomas O’Connor.
Meath: 16. Conor McHugh, 17. Paddy Gilsenan, 18. Adam Flanagan, 19. Mickey Newman, 20. Dalton McDonagh, 21. Seamus Kenny, 22. David Bray, 23. Mark O’Sullivan, 24. James McEntee, 25. Sean Curran, 26. David Larkin.
Will it be Jason Ryan or Mick O’Dowd who is successful?
Two late Meath changes, Eoghan Harrington in for Caolan Young and Dalton McDonagh replaces Michael Burke.
We’re ready for the off.
Meath 0-1 Kildare 0-0: 2 mins – Meath hit the front early on with Paddy O’Rourke slotting over a point from a ’45.
Kildare 0-2 Meath 0-1: 3 mins – Padraig Fogarty convertes a free for Kildare to draw them level and then he splits the posts with a fine point from play with the outside of his right boot.
Kildare 0-2 Meath 0-2: 5 mins – Shane O’Rourke draws Meath level but they so nearly hit the net through Dalton McDonagh but his blistering shot was blocked by Mark Donnellan in goal for Kildare.
Meath 0-3 Kildare 0-2: 6 mins – Meath edge ahead through Stephen Bray.
Sub: Joey Wallace in for McMahon in the Meath team.
Meath 0-3 Kildare 0-3: 9 mins – Fogarty brings the teams level with a pointed free for Kildare.
Meath 0-4 Kildare 0-3: 13 mins – Quality point off his left by Stephen Bray sends Meath into the lead. O’Rourke then misses a chance from a free to extend their advantage.
Meath 0-5 Kildare 0-3: 15 mins – Andrew Tormey curls over a fine point for Meath but they came desperately close to hitting the net before that when Joey Wallace smacked a fierce drive off the bar after being set up by Damien Carroll.
Meath 0-5 Kildare 0-4: 17 mins – There’s only one player keeping Kildare in it in the scoring stakes and that’s Padraig Fogarty as he hits over a point from play to take his total today to 0-4.
Meath 0-5 Kildare 0-5: 19 mins – Meath cough up possession from a free and Kildare counter-attack swiftly to setup a scoring chance which Niall Kelly converts.
Meath 0-6 Kildare 0-5: 20 mins – Meath back in front, Bray racing clear of the Kildare back line and punting a shot over the bar.
Kildare 0-6 Meath 0-6: 23 mins – We’re back level again, this time Eamon Callaghan lofts over a point for Kildare.
Meath 0-7 Kildare 0-6: 27 mins – Meath hit the front through Graham Reilly.
More explosive attacking play by Stephen Bray for Meath as he tears past Mick Foley but as he approaches the goal from the left wing, he shoots low into the side netting. Great chance there.
Meath 0-8 Kildare 0-6: 30 mins – Meath get a point on this occasion through Andrew Tormey.
Meath 0-9 Kildare 0-6: 31 mins – A three point lead now for Meath as Damien Carroll, who has been excellent in this first half, scores from the left wing.
Sub: An injured Paddy Brophy goes off for Kildare as Alan Smith is introduced instead.
Two great goal chances for Meath again, both falling to Dalton McDonagh. His first shot is blocked by Kildare net minder Donnellan and the second is smothered by the Lilywhites defence before they clear.
Meath 0-9 Kildare 0-7: 35 mins – Padraig O’Neill points for Kildare.
Penalty for Meath as McDonagh is fouled by Mick Foley!
Goal for Meath!
Half-Time: Meath 1-9 Kildare 0-7
What a boost for Meath just before the interval as Tormey slots home the penalty and puts them ahead by five points at the break.
We’re getting set for the second-half action here with both teams back out on the pitch. Meath in control, can Kildare come back in the second-half?
Meath 2-11 Kildare 0-7: 39 mins – Sensational start to the second half from Meath. Carroll points from play, McDonagh hits the back of the net and Tormey fires over a free.
Meath 2-11 Kildare 0-7: 40 mins – And now the superb Bray points.
Meath 2-13 Kildare 0-7: 42 mins – O’Rourke slots over a long-range free and Meath are in complete control.
Meath 2-13 Kildare 0-8: 44 mins – Fogarty slots a free for Kildare but they’re still in big trouble.
Subs: Kildare are trying to sort things out in their team. On comes Gary White and David Hyland with Mick Foley and Sean Hurley making way.
Sub: Eoin Doyle is on to the Kildare team for Emmet Bolton.
Meath 2-13 Kildare 0-10: 47 mins – Flicker of hope for Kildare as they grab points courtesy of Alan Smith and O’Neill.
Subs: Changes on both sides with Kildare bringing in Eoghan O’Flaherty for Cathal McNally while Meath replace Brian Meade with Adam Flanagan.
Meath 2-13 Kildare 0-11: 53 mins – Podge Fogarty slots over his sixth point of the day for Kildare, the latest effort arriving from a free.
Meath 2-14 Kildare 0-12: 55 mins – Points swapped by Tormey and Callaghan. Still eight points between them and it’s difficult to see Kildare paring the deficit sufficiently.
Meath 2-14 Kildare 0-15: 61 mins – The gap is down to five points with eight minutes left. Points by Smith, Moolick and O’Neill give the Lilywhites hope.
Subs: Three Meath changes to tell you about as Kevin Reilly, Damien Carroll and Dalton McDonagh have all made way. In to the side comes Seamus Kenny, David Bray and Michael Burke.
Meath 2-15 Kildare 0-15: 64 mins – There’s a very important point for Meath at a stage when their challenge was really fading. Joey Wallace gets clear to knock over a lovely point from play.
Meath 2-15 Kildare 0-17: 67 mins – Callaghan points to give Kildare hope and then Moolick blasts over when through on goal. The gap is down to four but the Lilywhites have all the momentum.
Meath 2-16 Kildare 0-17: 68 mins – Sublime interplay between the Bray brothers for Meath as Stephen feeds David and the latter points.
Goal chance for Kildare but Smith is denied by the woodwork! So close.
Full-Time: Meath 2-16 Kildare 0-17
All over and Meath prevail by five points. They’re through to the 2014 Leinster senior football final.
