Oldcastle 2-10 Meath Hill 1-12

Navan guards are on the hunt for fifteen extremely handsome suspects known to be from the Oldcastle area after an audacious smash and grab in Pairc Tailteann this afternoon. The victims – Meath Hill – are still reeling in disbelief at the manner of their shakedown.

Truth be told, Meath Hill were the better team throughout. Oldcastle’s first score was fourteen minutes into the first half, with Colin Hawdon finally fisting over the ball to get them off the mark. Conor Delaney, Paddy Rahill and Garreth O’Reilly added points of their own to bring it all level at four points apiece, twenty minutes in. Meath Hill added another, before a lovely Jason Scully score levelled it again. Oldcastle were then reduced to fourteen with Barry Curran receiving a red card. With just seconds to go before halftime, Meath Hill smashed the ball to the back of the net for a lovely goal, then adding a free deep into injury time to leave them four ahead at the break.

Oldcastle had the perfect start in the second half, a lovely Pearse Sheridan shot floating over the bar, but Meath Hill replied with their own soon after. The Oldcastle defence were working overtime, Steven Lawless, Cian McPartland and Oran O’Reilly really putting in the legwork and denying Meath Hill time and again. A Garrett O’Reilly effort reduced the deficit to three points, with Darren Hawdon adding another soon after to bring it back to two. Meath Hill stretched it back to the three though: CJ Healy the scoring for Oldcastle but Meath Hill replying straight away again. With 27 minutes on the clock Meath Hill went on a spree and added on three more points without reply, so that a minute into injury time it was Oldcastle 0-09, Meath Hill 1-12. Indeed Meath Hill were unlucky not to have another goal up, with the ball bouncing off the crossbar, hitting the ground and back out again.

Not a chance of us getting two goals, everyone was saying, as play in front of the Meath Hill goals in the 31st minute saw Pearse Sheridan pounce and send the ball to the back of the net for a super goal! The Oldcastle crowd, starved of anything to cheer for, were enthusiastically celebrating taking the bad look off the scoreline, when Paddy Gilsenan emerged from another melee with the ball and planted it in the back of the net again! Holy Jesus, all level, and 33 minutes on the clock, when the super Paddy Rahill got hold of the ball and coolly sent it between the posts for the winning point! With the scoreboard showing Oldcastle 2-10, Meath Hill 1-12, the referee blew his whistle to mass celebration from the Oldcastle folk, and stunned disbelief among Meath Hill heads.

A standing ovation for the lads from the Oldcastle crowd for a better comeback than Lazarus was well deserved, big grins all round and a great sense of relief among the supporters for a super finish. Meath Hill may well feel robbed but the final score is the final score and for once Oldcastle were on the right side of it! Top marks for entertainment - what a start to the championship! 

Oldcastle: Packie Kevin, Oran O’Reilly, Cian McPartland, Steven Lawless, Barry Curran, Paddy Rahill (0-02), Keith Connell, Pearse Sheridan (1-01), CJ Healy (0-01), Colin Hawdon (0-01), Jason Scully (Captain) (0-01), Conor Delaney (0-01), Ronan Maguire, Garrett O’Reilly (0-02), Robbie Farrelly. Subs: Oran Mulanny, Darren Hawdon (0-01), Paddy Gilsenan (1-00), Conor McHugh.

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