Kildare dethroned as Royal command performance puts Meath into Leinster U20FC final

It was a victory built on an outstanding defensive unit which not only kept the Kildare forwards in check but performed heroics at the other end in creating and finishing the all-important brace of goals either side of half-time that decided the match.

Meath, All-Ireland minor champions three years ago, trailed by a point, 0-6 to 0-5, heading into the break when full back Liam Kelly and wing back Eamonn Armstrong combined for Armstrong to finish to Eoin Sheehan’s net.

Then, just two minutes after the restart a long ball found Armstrong in the goalmouth and he offloaded for corner-back Seán O’Hare to finish.

That gave Meath a five-point advantage they never looked like relinquishing. Kildare threatened a goal when Ryan Sinkey played a short free to Niall Dolan, but his effort was clawed away on the line by Seán Leonard and later Killian Browne’s close-range effort was blocked by captain Kelly.

Points from Colm Dalton and Mark Gibbons did narrow the gap to three points by 42 minutes, but Meath scored four of the remaining six points to run out convincing winners.

Apart from their defensive heroes, Meath relied mainly on Jamie Murphy and Hughie Corcoran for scores, the former finishing with four, three from play. Two fine points from Browne in the first half was the highlight for a disappointing Kildare outfit.

Scorers - Meath: J Murphy 0-4 (1f); E Armstrong, S O’Hare 1-0 each; H Corcoran 0-3 (3f); K Smyth, C Duke 0-1 each. Kildare: R Sinkey (1f), K Browne, C Dalton 0-2 each; F Cooke, M Gibbons, E Cully, J Cunningham 0-1 each.

Meath: O McDermott; C Ennis, L Kelly, S O’Hare; E Armstrong, J O’Regan, K Smyth; J Kinlough, C O’Connor; S Leonard, R Stafford, C Duke; H Corcoran, J Murphy, R McConnell. Subs: S Emmanuel for Leonard (47), T Martyn for Stafford (50), J Harkin for Corcoran (59), S Byrne for Ennis (60).

Kildare: E Sheehan; R Fitzgerald, E Lawlor, E Mountaine; O Grufferty, J Harris, C Dalton; D Crowley, F Cooke; K Browne, N Dolan, M Gibbons; R Sinkey, R Harris, S Savage. Subs: B Ryan for Fitzgerald (47), E Cully for Savage (47), J Cunningham for Browne (50), N Cramer for Mountaine (54), B Loakman for Gibbons (57).

Referee: A Nolan (Wicklow).