Meath Under 21's needed extra time to see off Longford and claim the Hastings Cup in soft conditions at Abbeylara.

Meath 3-10 Longford 1-13

In a very evenly contested game Meath held a 1-5 to 1-4 interval advantage. Longford got a great start when Nigel Rabbitte converted a penalty after Rian Brady was fouled in the Meath square.

Meath responded well and levelled matters with three points on the spin through Conor Moriarty and the outstanding David McLoughlin (2). Longford hit back with three points of their own from David McGivney (2) and Conor Berry.

Thomas O'Reilly and McLoughlin narrowed the gap before Conor Moriarty netted for the Royals to put them in front for the first time. McGivney sent over his third point to leave the minimum in it at the break.

Longford made the better start to the second half and were 1-7 to 1-6 in front after ten minutes. As both teams began to empty their subs bench O'Reilly levelled the game after 15 minutes.

Rabbitte and Robbie Clarke, with his first touch, put Longford two up with ten minutes remaining and Meath looked in trouble. McLoughlin steadied his team with a wonderful goal after great work by substitute Eamon Mac Donnacha and O'Reilly. Sean Reilly followed this up with a good point and Meath were two up going in to the final minutes.

Longford were not finished yet. Conor Farrell narrowed the gap and with the last kick of the half midfielder and captain Shane Kenny pointed a 45 to send the game into extra time. Meath 2-8 Longford 1-11.

The home county were guilty of some bad wides in the opening period of extra time. O'Reilly put Meath in front after a lengthy stop to deal with an injury to Longford full back Ronan Sweeney. Longford hit back and scores from Kenny and Russell Brady gave them a narrow 1-13 to 2-9 lead at the break.

Brady's fine point proved to be their last score. David McLoughlin found the Longford net five minutes into the second period. O'Reilly added a point to finally break the Longford resilience and the Hastings Cup was heading to Meath. 

After the game Meath captain Brian Conlon was presented with the cup in front of a large Meath following.

Meath scorers: David McLoughlin 2-3, Conor Moriarty 1-2, Thomas O'Reilly 0-4, Sean Reilly 0-1

Longford scorers: Nigel Rabbitte 1-2, David McGivney 0-5, Shane Kenny 0-2, Conor Berry, Robbie Clarke, Conor Farrell and Russell Brady 0-1

Meath: Jonathan Lynch, James Reilly, Eoghan Greene. Robin Clarke, James Mooney, Daniel O'Neill, Sean Noonan, Sean Reilly, Brian Conlon, David McEntee, Conor Moriarty, Ethan Devine, Darragh Campion, Thomas O'Reilly, David McLoughlin. Subs: Eoin Smyth for Darragh Campion (black card), Fionn Reilly, Jason Scully, Eamonn O'Donnacha. Extra time: Cathal McConnell, Cian Devlin, Brian McGrath.

Longford: Conor Gallagher, James Mooney, Ronan Sweeney, Kevin Sorohan, Cian Brady, Dessie Reynolds, Russell Brady, David McGivney, Shane Kenny, Conor Berry, Nigel Rabbitte, Peter Lynn, Rian Brady, Daragh Doherty, Jason Matthews. Subs: Conor Farrell, Barry McKiernan, Robbie Clarke, Eoin Higgins, Aidan McElligott. Extra time: Enda Macken

Referee: Sean Carroll Westmeath

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