OFFALY GAVE MEATH supporters 20 minutes of anxiety before the Royals set their ship firmly back on course for Division One of the GAA football league this afternoon, moving 14 points clear until four late Offaly points took the bare look off the scoreboard.
Two crucial second quarter decisions helped the dramatic change in this game’s momentum, though such was Meath’s dominance in the second half that it’s hard to imagine that the outcome would not have been the same regardless.
An early goal for Bryan Menton only added to the party atmosphere among the visiting supporters, who appeared to make up at least 3,000 out of the 3,250 supporters in O’Connor Park.
However, what followed was a sustained spell of Offaly control that saw the Midlanders move two points in front, while holding their own at midfield. Conor Melia and Daire McDaid fired over two-pointers with the aid of a very slight breeze. Cormac Egan acted as playmaker and quarterback, and up front Shane Tierney and Darragh Flynn were lively and energetic, keeping the Meath full-back line moving.
Jordan Morris converted a free to halve the gap but on the next attack Shane Tierney claimed a mark and thinking he had an advantage, fired a speculative shot wide of the top right corner, only for the referee to then reverse the mark decision following consultation with his linesman.
Seán Coffey pointed on the next play to level the game, and a strong run from Jack O’Connor set up Aaron Lynch for the lead point.
Then came a highly-contentious penalty call given to Meath for a shoulder challenge from Shane O’Toole Greene on Cian McBride, which allowed Morris to pick out the bottom right corner and effectively get the promotion party started.
McBride and Menton were now much more prominent under the kickout on both sides, while all three Meath half-backs got on the scoresheet as the Royals started to spill forward and punch holes in the Offaly rearguard.
Barring some remarkable scoring in Armagh later this afternoon, Meath will finish as the top scorers in the league and it was easy to see why as 12 players in all raised flags on a day when 20 of their 23 scores came from open play.
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James Conlon came off the bench to score a point with his first touch and later add another, with Cian McBride and Jason Scully also tacking on late points.
With five minutes to play, the margin was out to 14 points but late scores from Harry Plunkett (two), Jordan Hayes and Eoin Sawyer reduced the margin for an Offaly side that will be next into action in the Leinster championship against Laois in three weeks’ time.
For Meath, a league final against Cork at the weekend now awaits.
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Meath on the up as they defeat Offaly to confirm top tier football next year
Meath 2-22
Offaly 0-18
Kevin Egan reports from Tullamore
OFFALY GAVE MEATH supporters 20 minutes of anxiety before the Royals set their ship firmly back on course for Division One of the GAA football league this afternoon, moving 14 points clear until four late Offaly points took the bare look off the scoreboard.
Two crucial second quarter decisions helped the dramatic change in this game’s momentum, though such was Meath’s dominance in the second half that it’s hard to imagine that the outcome would not have been the same regardless.
An early goal for Bryan Menton only added to the party atmosphere among the visiting supporters, who appeared to make up at least 3,000 out of the 3,250 supporters in O’Connor Park.
However, what followed was a sustained spell of Offaly control that saw the Midlanders move two points in front, while holding their own at midfield. Conor Melia and Daire McDaid fired over two-pointers with the aid of a very slight breeze. Cormac Egan acted as playmaker and quarterback, and up front Shane Tierney and Darragh Flynn were lively and energetic, keeping the Meath full-back line moving.
Jordan Morris converted a free to halve the gap but on the next attack Shane Tierney claimed a mark and thinking he had an advantage, fired a speculative shot wide of the top right corner, only for the referee to then reverse the mark decision following consultation with his linesman.
Seán Coffey pointed on the next play to level the game, and a strong run from Jack O’Connor set up Aaron Lynch for the lead point.
Then came a highly-contentious penalty call given to Meath for a shoulder challenge from Shane O’Toole Greene on Cian McBride, which allowed Morris to pick out the bottom right corner and effectively get the promotion party started.
McBride and Menton were now much more prominent under the kickout on both sides, while all three Meath half-backs got on the scoresheet as the Royals started to spill forward and punch holes in the Offaly rearguard.
Barring some remarkable scoring in Armagh later this afternoon, Meath will finish as the top scorers in the league and it was easy to see why as 12 players in all raised flags on a day when 20 of their 23 scores came from open play.
James Conlon came off the bench to score a point with his first touch and later add another, with Cian McBride and Jason Scully also tacking on late points.
With five minutes to play, the margin was out to 14 points but late scores from Harry Plunkett (two), Jordan Hayes and Eoin Sawyer reduced the margin for an Offaly side that will be next into action in the Leinster championship against Laois in three weeks’ time.
For Meath, a league final against Cork at the weekend now awaits.
Scorers for Meath: Jordan Morris 1-6 (1-0 pen, 0-1f), Bryan Menton 1-0, Aaron Lynch 0-3, Donal Keogan 0-2, Eoghan Frayne 0-2, Seán Brennan 0-2 (1tpf), James Conlon 0-2, Seán Coffey 0-1, Ciarán Caulfield 0-1, Ruairí Kinsella 0-1, Jason Scully 0-1, Cian McBride 0-1.
Scorers for Offaly: Darragh Flynn 0-4, Daire McDaid 0-3 (1tp), Harry Plunkett 0-3 (0-1f), Jordan Hayes 0-3, Shane Tierney 0-2 (0-1m, 0-1f), Conor Melia 0-2 (1tpf), Eoin Sawyer 0-1.
Meath
1. Seán Brennan (Dunderry)
2. Seamus Lavin (St. Peter’s Dunboyne), 3. Seán Rafferty (Na Fianna), 4. Brian O’Halloran (Ballivor)
5. Donal Keogan (Rathkenny), 6. Seán Coffey (Ballinabrackey), 7. Ciarán Caulfield (Trim)
8. Bryan Menton (Donaghmore/Ashbourne), 20. Cian McBride (Downings)
10. Jack O’Connor (Curraha), 11. Ruairí Kinsella (Dunshaughlin), 9. Jack Flynn (Ratoath)
10. Jordan Morris (Kingscourt Stars), 14. Eoghan Frayne (Summerhill), 15. Aaron Lynch (Trim)
Subs
Offaly
1. Conor Melia (Bracknagh)
2. Shane O’Toole Greene (Shamrocks), 3. David Dempsey (Ballycommon), 4. Lee Pearson (Edenderry)
22. Daire McDaid (Tullamore), 6. Diarmuid Egan (Tullamore), 5. Cormac Egan (Tullamore)
8. Jack McEvoy (Clonbullogue), 17. Ed Cullen (Clara)
7. Rory Egan (Edenderry), 11. Jordan Hayes (Edenderry), 10. Marcas Dalton (Clara)
15. Darragh Flynn (Ferbane), 14. Shane Tierney (Daingean), 20. Niall Furlong (Tullamore)
Subs
Referee: Seamus Mulhare (Laois)
*****
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Division 2 GAA League Meath Offaly Royals