Meath's Graham Reilly up against Eamonn Callaghan of Kildare
Kieran McGeeney's men seem to have the indian sign on the Royals and so it proved once more tonight when they just about prevailed in a scintillating match that see-sawed one way then the other.
Both sides made mistakes but the first half was entertaining, Kildare taking a 0-8 to 0-6 lead into the interval.
Paddy Gilsenan had the hosts up and running but Tomas O'Connor replied with a fisted effort after some tigerish defending from the Royals.
The Lilywhites took over and moved ahead by double scores, 0-4 to 0-2, thanks to another fisted point from midfielder Daryl Flynn.
Cian Ward narrowed the gap but Padraig O'Neill slotted over to give McGeeney's charges a 0-5 to 0-3 lead. And Eamonn O'Callaghan made it double scores again with a lovely score at the end of a flowing move in the 19th minute.
Chris O'Connor's point had Banty's charges back within the minimum coming up to the half-hour mark but scores from Eoghan O'Flaherty and O'Callaghan ensured that the visitors remained in control.
At the end of an entertaining opening period, Kildare held a narrow 0-8 to 0-6 advantage.
Stephen Bray closed the gap shortly after the restart and the sides were soon level. But three points in a row from the visitors - the third from the boot of O'Flaherty - had Kildare ahead by 0-11 to 0-8.
Amazingly, the Royal County bolted into a 1-9 to 0-11 lead, with Paddy Gilsenan hitting the net, but a free from O'Flaherty tied the scores up once more.
Gilsenan had another goal chance but opted to take his point, firing the home side back ahead. But Morgan O'Flatharta crept goalwards to float over the leveller.
And Eoghan O'Flaherty's sixth score of the night edged the Lilywhites back in front. It was looking ominous for the hosts when Kildare stretched their lead to two points again with a Morgan O'Flatharta effort but Meath are notoriously difficult to beat and they powered back in front thanks to a rasping goal from Donnacha Tobin.
Kildare found yet another leveller from O'Neill three minutes from time and it was end to end stuff as both teams went for the winner thereafter.
And right at the death Ollie Lyons knocked over the decisive point to give Kildare a thrilling win.
http://www.hoganstand.com/Meath/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=163200
Man of the Match: E O'Flaherty (Kildare)
ReplyDeleteScorers -- Kildare: E O'Flaherty 0-6 (3f), P O'Neill, O Lyons, E Gallagher 0-2 each, M O'Flaherty, A Smith, T O'Connor, M Conway, D Flynn, H McGrillen 0-1 each. Meath: P Gilsenan 1-2, S Bray 0-4 (3f), D Tobin 1-0, T Walsh, M Burke, C Ward, S McAnarney, C O'Connor 0-1 each.
Kildare -- S Connolly 6; A MacLochlainn 7, M Foley 6, O Lyons 7; E Bolton 7, M O'Flaherty 7, H McGrillen 7; D Flynn 6, P O'Neill 7; M Conway 7, E O'Flaherty 8, J Doyle 7; E Callaghan 7, T O' Connor 7, J Kavanagh 7. Subs: P Kelly 7 for M Foley (33), R Sweeney 7 for D Flynn (41), A Smith 7 for J Kavanagh (52); C Fitzpatrick 6 for A MacLochlainn (56), K Ennis for J Doyle (67).
Meath -- D Gallagher 7; M Burke 7, K Reilly 7, B Menton 7; G O'Brien 6, S McAnarney 7, C McGuinness 7; B Meade 7, M Ward 7; S Kenny 7, G Reilly 7, C O'Connor 7; P Gilsenan 8, S Bray 7, C Ward 6. Subs: D Tobin 7 for G O'Brien (25), J Sheridan 7 for C Ward (39), C King 7 for B Meade (48), T Walsh 7 for C McGuinness (56), G Geragthy for G Reilly (67).
Ref -- M Collins (Cork).