MEATH WERE CROWNED 2020 Leinster minor football champions after a dramatic one-point final win over Offaly tonight.
TEG Cusack Park hosted last year’s delayed provincial decider, and the Royals prevailed on a scoreline of 1-6 to 1-7.
0-4 to 0-2 in favour of the eventual winners at half time, Eoghan Frayne was Meath’s sole scorer in the opening period. The team captain, of the Summerhill club, scored one from play, two frees and a ’45, while Cormac Egan and Keith O’Neill were on target for the Faithful county.
Liam Stafford found the back of the net to power Meath into a 1-5 to 0-3 lead eight minutes into the second half, before Offaly came within two points again 10 minutes later when Pauric Robbins scored a goal at the other end.
A pair of Jamie Guing points levelled proceedings down a dramatic home straight, but Meath scores courtesy of Ruairi Kinsella and Frayne — who finished Man-of-the-Match with 0-6 (3f, 1 ’45) — ultimately sealed the deal, despite a last-gasp free from the boot of Offaly’s Geordi O’Meara.
The teams for the Leinster Minor Football Final. Throw-in at 7.30pm.
— Official Offaly GAA (@Offaly_GAA) June 30, 2021
Best of luck to Offaly pic.twitter.com/OWILuASnJM
Meath now take on Derry or Monaghan, who play on Friday night, in the All-Ireland semi-final on the weekend of 10-11 July. Kerry play Roscommon in the other last-four battle on 11 July.
Elsewhere tonight, Kildare were 2-23 to 1-9 winners over Carlow in the 2021 Electric Ireland Leinster MHC Round 1 at Netwatch Cullen Park, while Antrim beat Down by six points at Portaferry GFC, advancing to play in the Leinster championship.
LATEST: @ElectricIreland Minor Hurling Championship Qualifier
— Ulster GAA (@UlsterGAA) June 30, 2021
FULL-TIME at @portaferrygac @OfficialDownGAA 2-11@AontroimGAA 2-17
Antrim win by six, they advance to play in the @gaaleinster Championship pic.twitter.com/k1ju0JCpkF
Westmeath and Meath face off in the same competition tomorrow night, with the 2021 minor football championship also kicking off. Kildare v Westmeath, Louth v Longford, Wicklow v Laois, Carlow v Wexford are all at 7.30pm.
