Leinster JFC: Royal comeback robs Louth at the death
June 10, 2015
Meath's Cian O'Brien with Jim McEneaney Louth during the Leinster JFC semi final at Drogheda
Meath 2-11
Louth 0-16
Meath booked their place in the Leinster Junior Championship Final after coming back from the dead to score 1-3 without reply in the closing minutes against Louth in Drogheda.
Defender Chris O'Connor sealed the dramatic victory for the visitors to leave Louth wondering just how they allowed this game to slip from their grasp.
With five minutes to play, the Wee County were 0-16 to 1-8 in front and looked to be cruising to a deserved victory. However, a goal from Bobby O'Brien gave the Royals renewed hope and planted the seeds of doubt in the minds of a tiring Louth team.
Points from Ciaran Lynch and Stephen Crosby followed to level matters and just when extra-time looked to be on the cards, O'Connor popped up to score the winner.
The tone for the high-tempo encounter was set from the opening exchanges as Ronan Holcroft opened the scoring inside the first minute, only for Meath to level through Ciaran Lynch soon after.
James Califf restored the Louth lead and it took a great save from goalkeeper Johnny O'Connor to deny Dean Maguire a goal on five minutes.
The Wee County had reason to rue that miss as four minutes later as Lynch levelled before Kevin Ross scored the opening goal after being set up by Alan Douglas on nine minutes.
Holcroft replied immediately but points from Ross (2) and Lynch in reply to a Jim McEneaney effort had Meath in a strong position when leading by 1-5 to 0-4 after 17 minutes.
However, Louth, who hit the crossbar through Jackie Agnew, found an extra gear before the break and five unanswered points from Holcroft, Califf (2) and McEneaney levelled the game. With the final kick of the half, Holcroft fired over to put Louth 0-9 to 1-5 ahead at the break.
Louth made it seven points on the spin when Califf and Conall McKeever scored early in the second half before Meath got off the mark through Ciaran Lynch to reduce the gap. Another Califf effort was cancelled out by Kevin Ross to keep Meath in touch when trailing by 0-12 to 1-7 on 43 minutes.
However, over the course of the next ten minutes the game seemed to have gone beyond the visitors as scores from Holcroft (2), Califf and Jackie Agnew in reply to a Lynch score had Louth ahead by 0-16 to 1-8.
It was an advantage that didn't flatter the Wee County, but they couldn't sustain the effort and Meath bounced back to snatch victory.
Meath: Johnny O'Connor; Michael Kearney, Gavin McGowan, Chris O'Connor 0-1; Kevin Traynor, Neil Shortall, Sean Heavey; Alan Farrell, Cian O'Brien; Danny Quinn, Bobby O'Brien 1-0, Daragh McNamara; Kevin Ross 1-3, Ciaran Lynch 0-6, Alan Douglas. Subs: Stephen Crosby 0-1 for S Heavey, Jimmy Finnerty for D McNamara, Aaron Newman for N Shortall, Frankie Murphy for A Farrell.
Louth: Craig Lynch; Conor Lenehan, Bernard Mulligan, Kevin Toner; Patrick McGrath, Chris Smith, David McComish; Jim McEneaney 0-2, James Califf 0-6; Conall McKeever 0-1, Ronan Holcroft 0-6, Jackie Agnew 0-1; Dean Maguire, Daniel O'Connor, Gerard McSorley. Subs: Peter Kirwan for G McSorley, David Quigley for C Smith BC, Ross Nally for D Maguire.
