GAA: CADBURY’S LEINSTER UNDER-21 FC SEMI-FINAL
Offaly U21s bow out as Royals take command in second half
MEATH…………………………………………… 2-16
OFFALY…………………………………………… 1-10
DAIRE WALSH
Offaly’s Under-21 FC odyssey came to an end on Wednesday evening at Parnell Park, where a strong second-half display propelled Meath ensured that towards a nine-point victory in a lively semi-final.
Spirits had been lifted in the county as a result of the side’s magnificent 0-13 to 0-9 win over defending champions Kildare at the previous stage, and thanks to an excellent major by Luke Kelly at the tail end of the opening period, Offaly held a slender cushion (1-6 to 0-8) at the mid-way point.
However, Meath discovered an extra gear upon the resumption, and with the inside forward line of Seamus Mattimoe, Bryan McMahon and Joey Wallace contributing a grand total of 1-13 between them, they had too much in the tank for their Midland counterparts.
The Faithful County were hoping to replicate their determined performance against the Royals at the quarter-final stage of this competition two years ago. Motivation was high for Emmet McDonnell’s charges, who were aiming to address a 19-year drought at this level.
For this clash in the north Dublin venue, Offaly showed a brace of 11th hour changes, with Rhode’s Ruari McNamee (who, along with half-back brother Conor, is a cousin of senior stars Alan and Niall) indirectly replaced midfielder Declan Byrne, while Clara’s Kelly was selected at the edge of the square ahead of Adam Shelly.
Meath, on the other hand, were still reeling from the loss of rising senior panellist Eamonn Wallace to a cruciate ligament injury sustained in their replayed quarter-final with neighbours Louth, though the encouraging performance of Mattimoe in his absence did at least soften the blow.
Ruairi McNamee and Kelly were eager to make their presence felt during the early exchanges, and fine approach work from the duo did lead to an opening point for ace marksman Joe Maher with four minutes on the clock. An excellent score from an awkward angle by wing-forward Sean Doyle doubled the Faithful advantage three minutes later, before the left-boot of Conor Sheridan eventually opened Meath’s account.
Ruairi McNamee did firing over from close-range 13 minutes in, but Joey Wallace (brother to the aforementioned Eamonn) and Bryan McMahon kick-started their own personal account’s to level matters for the first time.
Swapped scores between the increasingly-dangerous Maher and Meath skipper Neil Shortall kept the scoreboard ticking for both teams, but Offaly threatened to pull away once again with back-to-back points by Ferbane’s Maher and Kelly.
Four consecutive white flag strikes – courtesy of Wallace (two), McMahon and Mattimoe – looked like giving the Royals a crucial edge heading into the second half, but when Kelly fired emphatically past Andy Colgan after racing through on goal, Offaly found themselves in the ascendancy.
Though there was a long way to go in the tie, Offaly had reason to be satisfied with their night’s work up to this point. And despite surrendering the lead when McMahon fisted over for Meath in the opening attack after the restart, Ruairi McNamee was on hand to restore their interval buffer.
Mattimoe and Aaron McDonagh subsequently cancelled each other out with well-worked points, but in a seven-minute spell that concluded just shy of the third-quarter mark, the Royals embarked on a scoring spree that ultimately determined the outcome of the game.
Three points on the trot by the understated Mattimoe finally gave his side the lead, and having initiated the play inside the Offaly half, McMahon flicked to the net on 44 minutes, via a neat lay-off by marauding half-back Shane McEntee.
This suddenly left a previously composed Offaly in a perilous position, and they needed to address their five-point deficit before it was too late. They had a glorious chance to force their way back in the reckoning just two minutes after McMahon’s three-pointer, but Ruairi McNamee’s fierce pile driver came crashing off the upright.
McMahon had also been denied by the woodwork in the first half, but McNamee’s missed opportunity held greater significance, and thanks to points from Mattimoe, Sheridan and McMahon, Meath (who were last crowned champions back in 2001) held an insurmountable seven point hold over Offaly inside the final five minutes of action.
Kelly had earlier increased his haul to 1-2 with an outstanding score under pressure, but with their confidence levels sky high, Meath added gloss to their eventual win thanks to a second goal from a tight angle by substitute Barry Dardis.
Peter Cunningham, who switched from centre-forward to midfield after the break, did grab a consolation score in stoppage-time, and even though Offaly will be disappointed to have come off second best against a pacey Meath outfit, there are nevertheless a number of positives to be garnered from this year’s campaign.
OFFALY: Conor Clancy; Sean Moriarty, Joseph O’Connor, Darragh Corbett; Conor McNamee, Philip Foy, Keith Mullally; Jason Gettings, Eoin Carroll; Sean Doyle (0-1), Peter Cunningham (0-1), Aaron McDonagh (0-1); Joe Maher (0-3), Luke Kelly (1-2), Ruairi McNamee (0-2).
Subs: Declan Byrne for Gettings (37), Adam Shelly for Doyle (46), Ciaran Moloney for Kelly (52), Nigel Bracken for Mullally (58), Oisin Cusack for C McNamee (61).
MEATH: Andy Colgan; Simon Carty, Conor McGill, David McQuillan; Brian Power, Shane Melia, Shane McEntee; Conor Sheridan (0-2), Adam Flanagan; Neil Shortall (0-1), Bobby O’Brien, Padraic Harnan (0-1); Seamus Mattimoe (0-6, 2f), Bryan McMahon (1-4, 0-1f), Joey Wallace (0-3).
Subs: Cathal Finn for Power (39), Barry Dardis (1-0) for McEntee (52), Harry Rooney for Flanagan (58), Anthony Burke for O’Brien (58), Oran Fitzpatrick for Carty (59).
Referee: Anthony Nolan (Wicklow).
IN A NUTSHELL
MAN OF THE MATCH
Luke Kelly (Offaly)
Though Meath successfully turned the screw to book their place in this year’s final alongside Dublin, the Faithful County equally matched their opponents for larger periods of the contest, with a number of fine individual performances helping them to keep the Royals on their toes. Placed at full-forward for this clash, full-forward Luke Kelly of Clara was an effective target for his side, and his haul of 1-2 (including a terrific goal on the half-hour) was just reward for his hard-work and endeavour on the night.
TURNING POINT
For 35 minutes, this clash had been fairly nip and tuck, and the final outcome was not apparent to anyone in attendance. However, Meath subsequently added 1-3 without replay in a seven-minute juncture, which turned a one-point deficit into a commanding five-point advantage. However, when they carved open the Meath defence on 46 minutes, Offaly had an ideal opportunity to keep themselves in contention, but when Ruairi McNamee was cruelly denied by the frame of the goal, their chances of success received a hammer blow.