Meath 7-14
Wicklow 0-7
MEATH FIRED HOME seven goals as they stormed into the Leinster senior football semi-finals this afternoon at the expense of Wicklow.
Three first-half goals paved the way for the success before they raised four green flags in the final quarter. Debutant Jordan Morris bagged a hat-trick and finished with 3-4 to his credit.
Andy McEntee’s side may have suffered disappointment in the league with relegation from Division 1 but they began their 2020 championship campaign in a positive fashion in this quarter-final in Aughrim.
The wins sets up a semi-final clash for Meath next Sunday in Croke Park against Kildare or Offaly, who meet later in O’Moore Park in Portlaoise at 5.30pm.
Wicklow ran Meath to four points when the counties last met in championship fare in 2015 while they entered this game with optimism on the back of clinching promotion from Division 4 and last week’s win over Wexford in the Leinster opener. But they suffered here and exited the championship in disappointing fashion.
Morris started the rout with a goal after nine minutes to leave them ahead 1-2 to 0-0. That was the last score in the game until the 21st minute when Wicklow opened their account courtesy of Dean Healy before Meath powered ahead.
Brian McMahon grabbed a couple of points, Matthew Costello bagged their second goal in the 29th minute and then Bryan Menton struck for Meath’s third goal a couple of minutes later.
That scoring spree propelled Meath into the 3-6 to 0-3 advantage at half-time that effectively sealed their path to the last four.
The second half continued with Meath in control as they were in front 3-10 to 0-6 at the three-quarter mark. Then a further wave of goals arrived as Meath pulled clear to win with some ease.
The fourth one arrived from Joey Wallace in the 57th minute to round off, Cathal Hickey bagged the fifth in the 69th minute and then Morris tucked home two penalites in injury-time to seal a 28-point success.
Scorers for Meath: Jordan Morris 3-4 (2-0 pen, 0-1f), Shane Walsh 0-3 (0-1f), Bryan Menton 1-1, Matthew Costello 1-0, Joey Wallace 1-0, Cathal Hickey 1-0, James Conlon 0-2, Bryan McMahon 0-2, Shane McEntee 0-1, Cillian O’Sullivan 0-1.
Scorers for Wicklow: Mark Jackson 0-2, Seanie Furlong 0-2 (0-1f), Dean Healy 0-1, Eoin Darcy 0-1, Andy Maher 0-1.
Meath
1. Mark Brennan (Navan O’Mahony’s)
2. Seamus Lavin (St Peter’s Dunboyne)
3. Conor McGill (Ratoath)
4. David Toner (Curraha)
5. Donal Keogan (Rathkenny – joint captain)
6. Shane McEntee (St Peter’s Dunboyne)
7. Mattthew Costello (Dunshaughlin)
8. Bryan Menton (Donaghmore-Ashbourne)
9. Ronan Jones (St Peter’s Dunboyne)
10. Cillian O’Sullivan (Moynalvey)
11. Bryan McMahon (Ratoath)
12. Ronan Ryan (Summerhill)
13. Jordan Morris (Nobber)
14. Shane Walsh (Na Fianna)
15. Thomas O’Reilly (Wolfe Tones)
Subs
22. Joey Wallace for O’Reilly (41)
23. Jason Scully for Menton (55)
24. James Conlon for O’Sullivan (57)
18. Cathal Hickey for Keogan (60)
19. Eoin Harkin for Toner (61)
Wicklow
1. Mark Jackson (Baltinglass)
2. Patrick O’Keane (St Patrick’s)
3. Jamie Snell (Rathnew)
4. Eoin Murtagh (Dunlavin)
5. Andy Maher (Arklow Geraldines Ballymoney)
6. Niall Donnelly (St Patrick’s)
7. David Devereux (Ballinteer St John’s)
8. Pádraig O’Toole (Kiltegan)
9. Dean Healy (St Patrick’s – captain)
10. Rory Finn (Kiltegan)
11. Mark Kenny (Ballymanus)
12. Darren Hayden (Éire Óg Greystones)
13. Eoin Darcy (Tinahely)
14. Seanie Furlong (Kiltegan)
26. Conor Byrne (Avondale)
Subs
23. Pat Burke for Hayden (half-time)
15. Gearoid Murphy for Kenny (half-time)
17. Ross O’Brien for Snell (52)
25. Conor Healy for Byrne (59)
Referee: Ciaran Branagan (Down)
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