Meath 0-11
Louth 0-10
14-MAN MEATH HELD off Louth to seal success in today’s O’Byrne Cup semi-final in Drogheda.
Barry Tormey’s dismissal midway through the second-half came at a juncture when Meath were in front by 0-9 to 0-7.
But despite that setback, Mick O’Dowd’s side kept their composure to grind out a victory from there.
A Sean Tobin point in the 52nd minute stretched their lead to 0-10 to 0-7 and while Louth did cut the deficit to minimum on two occasions before the final whistle, they could not draw level.
Instead Meath grabbed an insurance score from a free by Mickey Newman in the 66th minute and while James Califf pulled a late point back for Louth, Meath hung on for a narrow success.
Meath had made the early running to go in front 0-4 to 0-2 after the opening quarter with Michael Newman showing the way as he struck a brace of points. Sean Tobin and Cillian O’Sullivan also chipped in for the Royals.
They had further embellished that advantage by the break, Newman and Cathal Finn both on target. Louth found scores hard to come by in the opening half with Jim McEnaney’s accurate free taking, their sole source of points.
Louth stared at a 0-7 to 0-3 interval deficit but they improved after the break with Tommy Durnin, Adrian Reid and Declan Byrne all raising white flags.
Yet they never managed to draw level or plough ahead and that ensured they could not claim the spoils to please their home fans.
Victory for Meath propels them into their first O’Byrne Cup final since 2014 – when they lost to Kildare – and they have a chance to claim a first title since 2006.
Meath
1. Paddy O’Rourke (Skyrne)
2. Barry Tormey (Gaeil Colmcille)
3. Donal Keoghan (Rathkenny)
4. Darragh Smyth (Navan O’Mahony’s)
5. Alan Douglas (Trim)
6. Mickey Burke (Longwood)
7. Cathal Finn (St Peter’s Dunboyne)
8. Harry Rooney (Skyrne)
25. Conor Downey (Na Fianna)
10. Graham Reilly (St Colmcille’s)
11. Michael Newman (Kilmainham)
12. Cillian O’Sullivan (Moynalvey)
13. Sean Tobin (Simonstown Gaels)
14. Dalton McDonagh (Na Fianna)
15. Donal Lenihan (St Peter’s Dunboyne)
Louth
1. Craig Lynch (Naomh Mairtin)
2. Padraig Rath (Dreadnots)
3. David Quigley (Roche Emmets)
4. Kevin Toner (St Patrick’s)
5. Derek Maguire (Dundalk Young Irelands)
6. Darren McMahon (St Mochta’s)
7. Keith McLaughlin (Sean O’Mahony’s)
8. Tommy Durnin (Westerns)
9. James Stewart (Dundalk Gaels)
10. Declan Byrne (St Mochta’s)
11. Conal McKeever (Clan Na Gael)
12. Cathal Bellew (Kilkerley Emmetts)
13. Adrian Reid (Mattock Rangers)
14. Jim McEnaney (Geraldines)
15. Barry Flanagan (O’ Raghlaighs)
