THE MEATH MINORS have been crowned Leinster football champions for the second time in just over a month after beating rivals Dublin 3-8 to 1-3 at at O’Connor Park in Tullamore.
Two goals within a minute of each other in the opening quarter set the Royals on their way, with Dublin managing just a single point in the first half.
There was a touch of fortune about full-forward Oisín Ó Murchú’s opening goal, seemingly an attempted point that dropped instead into the net. Man of the match Sean Emmanuel hit Meath’s second, collecting a loose Dublin pass and blasting home past Charlie Coghlan after a one-two with Christian Finlay.
Scott McConnell netted for the Dubs eight minutes into the second half but was red-carded moments later, and any chance for a Dublin comeback was emphatically ended when Hughie Corcoran pounced upon a short kick-out and chipped Coghlan for Meath’s third goal with nine minutes of normal time remaining.
Corcoran was also on the mark with five frees for Meath, while Ó Murchú scored 1-2 from play as the Royals were crowned provincial champions at a canter.
Scorers for Meath: H Corcoran (1-5, 5 frees), O Ó Murchú (1-2), S Emmanuel (1-0), S Leonard (0-1)
Scorers for Dublin: S McConnell (1-1, 0-1 free), Sean Gannon (free), R Cahill (0-1 each)
MEATH: O McDermott; C Ennis, L Kelly, S O’Hare; S Leonard, T Corbett, K Smyth; P Wilson, J Kinlough; J O’Regan, S Emmanuel, C McWeeney; C Finlay, O Ó Murchú, H Corcoran
Subs: B O’Halloran for Ennis (33), A Moore for McWeeney (38), T Martyn for Ó Murchú (53), D Ehichoya for Finlay, J Mannion for Smyth (both 58).
DUBLIN: C Coghlan; F Bruton, D Murphy, J Smith; M Gardiner, G McEneaney, D Colbert; C Duggan, E O’Connor Flanagan; R Mullarkey, M McNally, Z Delmar; T Gorman, S Gannon, S McDonnell
Subs: R Fahey for Mullarkey, R Cahill for Smith (both h-t), K Flynn for Gannon (40), L McGauran for Gorman (48), J Clair for Duggan (58).
Referee: F Pierce (Offaly)
