Meath 2-7 Louth 0-14

A Pauric Maguire two pointer with five minutes remaining was enough to see Louth edge out Meath in this opening round of the Leinster MFC played in miserable conditions at Fr McManus Park.

In an otherwise dull opening half, the visitors held a 0-7 to 0-5 advantage. Rian McDonnell opened Louth’s account and by the end of the first quarter the sides were level at 0-3 each. Pauric Maguire pushed Louth in front with the first of his two pointers. Cormac Walsh levelled matters with a two-point free to tie up the game again. Cillian Duff and Brian O’Neill raised white flags and Eamonn McEneaney’s charges went to the dressing room two in front.

The biggest cheer of the day was reserve for the break when news filtered through that Ireland had taken the lead in Prague.

The impressive Walsh gave Meath a great start to the second half with a goal in the opening minute. Louth hit back and enjoyed their best spell in the game with four unanswered points from Joseph Lynch, Mark Smith, Connell Kelly and Duff. Just when it looked like they were taking over Walsh got his second goal, after a long punt forward from Niall Rogan was lost in the lights by the Louth defence. Milo Stafford added a point from a free and out of nowhere Trevor Giles’ men were one up. Kelly and Dara Loughran traded scores as the game entered the last ten minutes. 

Both sides were guilty of wides before Maguire landed a monster two pointer from under the Skryne clubhouse. Meath had chances to take something from the game but three missed chances allowed the Wee County men to claim the opening round win.

Scorers – Louth: Pauric Maguire 0-5, Connell Kelly and Cillian Duff 0-2 each, Conor Marron, Joseph Lynch, Brian O’Neill, Rian McDonnell, Mark Smith 0-1 each.

Meath: Cormac Walsh 2-3, Harry McGuirk, Thomas Dillon, Milo Stafford and Dara Loughran 0-1 each.

Louth: Aaron O’Donoghue; Matthew Kierans, Jack Ruane, Oliver Walsh; Finn McEneaney, Calvin Winters, Conor Marron; Tadhg McDonnell, Ronan Duggan; Pauric Maguire, Connell Kelly, Joe Lynch; Brian O’Neill, Cillian Duff, Rian McDonnell. Subs: Mark Smith for Duggan, Cillian McDonnell for R McDonnell, Anthony Traynor for McEneaney, Tadhg Rooney for Duff.

Meath: Cormac Fitzsimons; Ben Browne, Tomás Clarke, Niall Rogan; Liam O’Donoghue, Harry McGuirk, Niall Smyth; Alex Keane, Tomás Proudfoot; Cormac McKenna, Tomás Dillon, Conn Brennan; Cormac Walsh, Milo Stafford, Dara Loughran. Subs: Jake Loughran for Keane, Harry Keating for McGuirk, Caolan Comey for Dillon.

Referee: Seamus Farrelly (Dublin)

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