Meath 3-8 Dublin 1-3
Meath were crowned Leinster minor champions for the second time in a little over a month as they easily overcame Dublin’s challenge in a one-sided final at O’Connor Park, Tullamore.
The Royals had four of the squad that won the 2020 final at the end of June and they were never seriously threatened in this one after making a whirlwind start to proceedings. Dublin were hit with a brace of goals in the space of a minute in the opening quarter and it was a blow they failed to recover from. They struggled throughout the pitch but especially in attack where they were rarely allowed to create scoring opportunities.
Full forward Oisin O Murchu found the net for Meath's opening goal from a Jack Kinlough pass on seven minutes and 60 second later Sean Emmanuel blasted in goal number two after intercepting a stray pass in the Dublin rearguard.
With Hughie Corcoran excellent from placed balls Meath hit 2-4 before Sean Gannon opened Dublin's account from a free on 17 minutes, their only score of the half. Dublin managed to create a goal chance after that but Ciaran Duggan's effort went the wrong side of a post.
At half-time Meath were full value for their comfortable 2-5 to 0-1 lead.
The conditions deteriorated in the second half and that made it difficult for both teams but Dublin could never get a grip on proceedings despite finding the net after Scott McConnell bundled a centre from Karl Flynn over the goal line on 43 minutes. Two minutes later McConnell was red carded after the referee consulted with his umpires.
Any hopes Dublin had of making a contest of it disappeared when the alert Corcoran incepted a short kick-out and cheekily chipped stranded goalkeeper Charlie Coghlan for Meath's third goal on 51 minutes.
Meath: O McDermott; C Ennis, L Kelly, S O'Hare; S Leonard (0-1), T Corbett, K Smyth; P Wilson, J Kinlough; J O'Regan, S Emmanuel (1-0), C McWeeney; C Finlay (1-2), O O Murchu, H Corcoran (1-5, 5 frees). Subs: B O'Halloran for Ennis (33 mins), A Moore for McWeeney (38 mins), T Martyn for O Murchu (53 mins), D Ehichoya for Finlay, J Mannion for Smyth (both 58 mins).
Dublin: C Coghlan; F Bruton, D Murphy, J Smith; M Gardiner, G McEneaney, D Colbert; C Duggan, E O'Connor Flanagan; R Mullarkey, M McNally, Z Delmar; T Gorman, S Gannon (0-1 free), S McConnell (1-1, 1 free). Subs: R Fahey for Mullarkey, R Cahill (0-1) for Smith (both h-t), K Flynn for Gannon (40 mins), L McGauran for Gorman (48 mins), J Clair for Duggan (58 mins).
Referee: F Pierce (Offaly)
