Meath marched to an emphatic 2-16 to 0-17 victory over Kildare at Croke Park this afternoon.

Much more comfortable victors that the five-point margin suggests, Mick O'Dowd's men are safely through to the Leinster final, where they await the winners of today's second semi-final between Dublin and Wexford.

Ahead by twelve at one stage, the winners were mightily impressive while Kildare failed to live up to their pre-match billing.

More dominant as the first half progressed, Meath were full value for their 1-9 to 0-7 interval advantage, with wing back Damien Carroll outstanding and Stephen Bray running the Kildare defence ragged.

The Royals created half a dozen goal-scoring opportunities during the opening 35 minutes and could have been home and hosed at the short whistle had they been more ruthless with their finishing. Or had Mickey Newman and / or Eamon Wallace been available!

The Short Grass County started as selected while the injury-hit Royals made two late changes to their initial XV, with Eoghan Harrington and the lively Dalton McDonagh replacing Caolan Young and Michael Burke respectively.

Goalkeeper Paddy O'Rourke kicked the winners ahead with a converted '45' after 90 seconds but Padraig Fogarty arced over a routine free at the other end a minute later. Full forward Fogarty thumped over a delightful lead point for the pre-match favourites on three minutes and goalkeeper Mark Donnellan pulled off a fantastic point-blank save from McDonagh before Shane O'Rourke got on the end of a Stephen Bray pass to equalise.

Navan O'Mahonys clubman Bray swivelled to whack over Meath's third point off his left foot but Kildare were level again on eight minutes when Fogarty nailed his second free and third point of the match. Already short a number of regulars, the Royals lost Bryan McMahon to injury, with Ratoath clubmate Joey Wallace taking his place.

Bray edged the 2010 Leinster champions back in front and Wallace's rasper rebounded off the underside of the Kildare crossbar on 15 minutes before Andrew Tormey recycled the ball and sent it back over the bar to put two points between the teams for the first time.

The Lilywhites came back with points from Fogarty and Kelly, and the sides were level for the fifth time following an exchange between Bray and Eamonn Callaghan - 0-6 apiece after 23 minutes. From here on, Meath took control...

Fogarty's next pop went wide off the upright at the Hill 16 end and Paddy Brophy also missed the target - Kildare's sixth wide - after Graham Reilly had kicked Meath back ahead eight minutes from the short whistle.

Tormey doubled the gap and Damien Carroll lofted over an excellent point from an acute angle to make it 0-9 to 0-6. Meath should also have had a goal but Bray failed to spot McDonagh to his right with an empty net at his mercy and instead dragged a shot into the sidenetting.

Kildare were rattled and Fogarty wasted a simple free before Donnellan was called upon to save from McDoinagh after O'Rourke had struck an upright.

Padraig O'Neill pulled back a Kildare point on the stroke of half time and Meath were awarded a penalty in first-half injury time when McDonagh was fouled by Mick Foley. Up stepped Tormey and his kick - down the middle - went straight through the diving Donnellan to the back of the net to give the underdogs a fully-deserved five-point interval advantage.

It was all too easy for Meath as Carroll pointed effortlessly to increase their lead within 25 seconds of the restart; in the 38th minute McDonagh finally got his goal as he grabbed a stray ball and cut through a non-existent Kildare defence to nonchalantly roll the ball along the surface past Donnellan from point-blank range. Tormey added a free to make it a ten-point match after 39 minutes.

Bray followed up with a peach and Paddy O'Rourke's inch-perfect free left the scoreline reading an unbelievable 2-13 to 0-7. During a devastating 19-minute spell either side of the break, Meath had outscored their hapless opponents by 2-7 to 0-1!

Fogarty (free), substitute Alan Smith and O'Neill pulled back a trio of Kildare points but they needed goals. When Fogarty chipped over their fourth successive point from a phantom free, the losers were back within eight points with 17 minutes left to play.

Tormey brought his tally to 1-4 as he curled over a free into the Hill - Meath's first score in twelve minutes - and Callaghan replied instantly: 2-14 to 0-12.

Smith and midfielder Tommy Moolick - whose shot blazed over the bar - pointed twice within a minute to reduce the arrears to six. Suddenly it was all Kildare and O'Neill's excellent right-footed finish made it a five-point match with twelve minutes remaining.

At a vital juncture, Kildare's composure deserted them and they recorded three critical wides through Keith Cribbin, Smith and Moolick before Wallace speared over a 15th Meath point - 2-15 to 0-15 with six minutes left.

Naas dynamo Callaghan rebuffed that advance on 65 minutes but Moolick's Hail-Mary attempt drifted benignly to the left of the posts at the Davin Stand end and wide. With three minutes left, Moolick pointed when he once more had a glimpse of goal. Substitute David Bray replied for Meath - 2-16 to 0-17.

The Lilywhites carved out another goal chance on 69 minutes but Smith's piledriver rattled the crossbar and that was it. They'll be in the Qualifier draw in the morning.

Meath - P O'Rourke (0-2, 1f, 1'45); E Harrington, K Reilly, B Menton; P Harnan, D Keogan, D Carroll (0-2); S O'Rourke (0-1), B Meade; D Tobin, D McDonagh (1-0), A Tormey (1-4, 1-0pen, 0-2f); G Reilly (0-1), S Bray (0-4), B McMahon. Subs: J Wallace (0-1) for B McMahon, A Flanagan for B Meade, S Kenny for D Carroll, D Bray (0-1) for D Tobin, M Burke for K Reilly.

Kildare - M Donnellan; H McGrillen, M Foley, E Bolton; O Lyons, F Conway, K Cribbin; T Moolick (0-2), P O'Neill (0-3); C McNally, E Callaghan (0-3), S Hurley; N Kelly (0-1), P Fogarty (0-6, 4f), P Brophy. Subs: A Smith (0-2) for P Brophy, G White for M Foley, C Fitzpatrick for S Hurley, E Doyle for E Bolton, E O'Flaherty for C McNally, T O'Connor for P Fogarty.

Referee - R Hickey. Tweet

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