Meath Hill 0-11 Drumconrath 1-5

Meath Hill secured a 1st Round victory with a flattering 3 point win over a wasteful Drumconrath in Round 1 of the Junior Football Championship.

Unlike last year when Meath Hill where clearly the better team they can count themselves lucky that the men in Red wasted at least 7 free's some of them very scoreable

Meath Hill wind assisted started best and had 3 points on the board in the 1st five minutes through Tomas Smith, Michael McCabe and Ian Malone but Drums tightened up and their running game began to cause problems for the Hill rear gaurd with Brendan Lyons, Jamie Myles and Derek Duff along with Terry Skelly and Stephan Crosby getting on a lot of ball. Meath Hill acted quickly and sent Jason Yorke in as substitute to stem the tide.

Skelly pointed for Drumconrath but 3 missed free's caused groans from the Red half of the Parish. These missed gave Meath Hill a boost as two free's one from  Pierse McGrath and another fine effort from Malone from under the stand were added too with a McCabe point from play as the Hill led 0-6 to 0-1.

Daniel Byrne pointed a free and soon after a sweeping movement found Duff in a one on one with Meath Hill keeper Dominic Yorke but his shot cannoned off the upright and much to the Hill's relief away to safety.

Drums did get a goal soon after when Alan McEvoys 45 dropped short and Duff fisted home. Yorke pointed a 45 havinf missed two earlier ones to leave just two points in it 0-7 to 1-2 at the break.

Drumconrath seemed to have stifled Meath Hill's danger men Malone and James Mooney with Damien Glass and Derek Duff doing well and a bright start to the 2nd half seen points from play  from Skelly (2) and Stephan Crosby had Drums a point up as the 3rd quarter ended but again some unbelievable misses from free's and play kept Meath Hill in the game. 

Sean McMahon was dominating midfield at this stage but an injury to him was a turning point in the game and while he played on at full forward Meath Hill's Tommy Rooney came more into the game. Drumconrath had held the Hill scoreless for 25 minutes but had not added enough to their score line.

Meath Hill broke forward and Malone pointed to level the game and when the same player added a free with 3 minutes left Meath Hill had the lead again.

Two injury time points from Mooney and Jason Yorke sealed the win.

Drumconrath; Eoin Muldoon; Damien Glass, Aidan Tighe, Pakie Dunne; Tomas Conlon, Stephan Crosby (0-1), Robert McEntaggert; Jamie Myles, Terry Skelly (0-3); Alan Byrne, Brendan Lyons, Derek Duff (1-0); Alan McEvoy, Sean McMahon, Daniel Byrne (0-1). Subs; Eoin Martin for McEvoy, Graham Tighe for D Byrne, Pado Farrelly for A Byrne, Peter McEvoy for McMahon, Paul Tighe for McEntaggart and Christopher Tighe for Conlon.

Meath Hill; Dominic Yorke (0-1); Barry Kieran, Martin Tully, Conor Marry; James Mooney (0-1), Ryan Owens, Kieran Slevin; Tommy Rooney, Keith Ginnity; Thomas McGrath; Pierse McGrath (0-1), Michael McCabe (0-2); Ryan Carry, Ian Malone (0-4), Tomas Smith (0-1). Sub Jason Yorke (0-1) for Carry, Emmet Matthews for Smith

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