Meath Hill 0-16 Navan O’Mahony’s 0-14 AET

Meath Hill will play Senior Championship Football for the first time in the club’s history after this thrilling win over Navan O’Mahony’s. Extra time was needed to separate these two very evenly matched squads in front of a very large crowd in ideal conditions at Pairc Tailteann.

Meath Hill held a 0-5 to 0-4 advantage at the end of the first half. Darragh Maguire got the scoreboard working but by the 20th minute the North Meath outfit had opened up a two point lead with scores from Cormac Sheehy, Gary Breslin, Jamie Slavin and Damien Hurley.  Robbie Keelaghan levelled matters before Breslin sent the the team in White to the dressing room with a minimum lead.

The sides were level at 0-7 each midway through the second half. Breslin pushed Meath Hill in front before O’Mahony’s seized control after a brilliant point from Paddy Dillon followed by white flags from Keelaghan and Aodhan Mallon.

Back came Meath Hill. Between the 21st and 26th minute they were in front again thanks to scores from Breslin, Jack Slavin and Sheehy. O’Mahony’s responded in style, Maguire levelled and half back Sean Benson gave them what looked like the winner. Meath Hill refused to panic and after a period of possession the ball ended with Jack McMahon who duly sent over and the game to extra time.

Extra time centre around one player. Shane McCabe was substituted in normal time but made a return to action in the first ten minutes. Meath Hill dominated the first period with McCabe sending over two brilliant points along with Breslin’s 7th to take a 0-15 to 0-12 to the huddle. Mallon pointed twice for the Hoops in the second period of extra time and a replay looked on the cards but that man again McCabe sent over the insurance point and Meath Hill were on their way to a historic win.

After the game captain James Mooney received the Mattie McDonnell Cup from County Board Secretary Ciaran Flynn.

Meath Hill scorers: Gary Breslin 0-7, Shane McCabe 0-3, Cormac Sheehy 0-2, Damien Turley, Jamie Slavin, Jack Slavin and Jack McMahon 0-1 each

Navan O’Mahony’s: Niall Devlin, Paddy Dillon (0-01), Brian Dillon, Sam Formosa, Sean Betson (0-01), Niall McGrane, Aodhan Mallon (0-04), Mike O’Reilly, Darragh Maguire (0-02), Shane Maguire, Robbie Keelaghan (0-06), Ronan Clarke, Oisin O’Brien, Duggie Dillon, Ivo Fitzherbert

Subs: Conor Finnegan for McGrane, Craig O’Toole for Clarke, Conor Brady for S Maguire, Evan Coffey for D Dillon, Cormac Keyes for Brady,  Louis Collins for D Maguire, Dillon for Fitzherbert. Eoin Joyce for Keelaghan 

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