Meath 3-11
Offaly 1-8

Two Barry Dardis goals an another from Paddy Kennelly sealed Meath's Electric Ireland Leinster MFC quarter-final win over Offaly at O'Connor Park, Tullamore on Saturday afternoon.

It was the second-half efforts from Kennelly and Dardis that hastened Offaly towards the exit door and kept Meath on course for a second successive provincial final appearance.

Dardis' second goal left it 3-3 to 0-7 and the Faithful County side undermined their own chances by going for goals when points were there for the taking.

That Offaly didn't find the net - through top scorer Joseph Maher - until the last action of the game was also due to diligent Meath defending.

Meath's defensive proficency included a fine save (at the expense of a point) by 'keeper Jack Hannigan from Peter Cunningham in the 60th minute. Moments later the Offaly skipper was dismissed on receipt of a second yellow card.

Andy McEntee's charges led by 1-3 to 0-5 at half-time with the prospect of having the elements in their favour after the break.

Offaly resumed with a brace of points from  Maher to retake the lead they held briefly in the opening minutes.  The double-goal salvo then altered the course of the game.

Meath posted a further six points - including fine efforts from Dardis, James McEntee and Fiachra Ward (free) before Offaly registered again.
By this point the contest had flatlined and the Royals were en route to a semi-final date with Westmeath.

Meath opted to play against the wind the opening half and Offaly made the first indentation on the scoresheet through Joseph Maher and Peter Cunningham.

Barely three minutes had passed when Meath got in for a goal with Dardis netting. That was quickly followed by a James McEntee point.

The Royals were never headed for the remainder of the half but Offaly regained parity with Maher's second point to leave it 1-1 to 0-4 with 11 minutes gone.

Offaly managed just one further score for the remainder of the half but had a great goal chance when Oisin Cusack's close range effort was kept out by Meath full-back Brian Power.

Points from Ruairi O Coilean and Fiachra Ward (free) restored Meath's advantage. They might have gone further ahead but three attempts dropped short.

Offaly had seven first-half wides to Meath's three. With wind advantage to come, the odds seemed to favour the visitors at the break and so it proved.

Meath - J. Hannigan; D. Smyth, B. Power, J. O'Malley; N. Kane, S. McEntee, R. O Coileain (0-1); P. Harnan, A. Flanagan; C. O'Sullivan (0-1), P. Donnellan, J. McEntee (0-2); B. Dardis (2-1), P. Kennelly (1-0), F. Ward (0-3, 2fs). Subs - A. Neary for Kane (ht), J. Daly (0-2) for Donnellan (45), S. Coogan for Kennelly (53), D. Toner for O'Malley (57), K. Griffin (0-1) for McEntee (60).

Offaly - C. Clancy; S. Moriarity, J. Quinn, B. Grehan; E. Carroll, L. Kelly, D. Corbett; C. Cahill, C. McNamee; J. Kavanagh (0-1, f), O. Cusack, P. Cunningham (0-2); R. McNamee (0-1), J. Maher (1-4, 0-1 f), R. Reynolds. Subs - M. Kirwan for Corbett (33), S. Lawless for Reynolds (45).

Referee - J. Hickey (Carlow) Tweet

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