Though their dreams of an All-Ireland title were halted at the penultimate hurdle, the achievement of the Meath team in retaining the Leinster Vocational Schools' Inter-County Senior Football Championship title in 2008 represented a significant success in its own right. Former Cortown player Kit Henry had guided the Royal County to provincial glory and an All-Ireland final place against Tyrone in 2007 and he was again at the helm this year as his charges blitzed their way to another Leinster crown and were just edged out by Monaghan in the All-Ireland semi-final in late February. Plenty of valuable work is being put into the promotion of the game in the schools and that has certainly been reflected in the annexation of back to back provincial titles. With eight members of Pat Coyle's county minor panel available to the Vocational Schools' management, hopes had to be high of a very strong showing in '08 and that's exactly how it turned out as Meath retained the Leinster title with ease. They opened the defence of their crown last January with a match against Offaly at Dunganny and what a comfortable introduction to competitive action it proved to be as Henry's team cruised to a 14-point (3-10 to 0-5) victory. These counties had met in a semi-final the previous year when Meath needed a late salvo of scores to secure a narrow win, but things worked out very differently on this occasion. Meath made a very positive start as points from Andrew Tormey (two), Brian Menton and Gavin Coyle helped them to a 0-4 to 0-0 lead after 10 minutes. Coyle might have had a couple of goals by that stage, but Offaly 'keeper Ronan Cassidy was equal to his efforts on both occasions, before Coyle did rattle the net late in the opening quarter to extend his side's lead. When Darragh O'Brien added a second goal after 16 minutes Meath were coasting with a 2-5 to 0-0 advantage and they held a commanding 2-7 to 0-3 lead at the change of ends. Thirteen points (3-7 to 0-3) was the margin after Tormey goaled early in the second period and it was just a case of going through the motions after that. Offaly were poor, but Meath essentially did all that could have been asked of them. Towering midfielders John Broderick and Craig Berrigan turned in performances that augured well for the anticipated tougher challenges ahead as they gave their side a solid foundation around the half-way line, while Darragh O'Brien, Tormey, Padraig Curran, Sean Curran, Stephen O'Brien, Tommy Johnson, Menton and Philip Moran were others to turn in eye catching performances. Meath - P Curran; I O'Donnell, S Curran, P Rahill; S O'Brien, T Johnson, E Smyth (0-1); J Broderick, C Berrigan; M Convey, D O'Brien (1-1), B Menton (0-1); G Coyle (1-3), A Tormey (1-3), S Berrigan. Subs - P Moran for Menton, E Dolan (0-1) for Tormey, D Molloy for S Berrigan, D O'Loughlin for Smyth, S Kavanagh for S O'Brien. Nobody could have anticipated the ease with which Meath would see off the challenge of a strong Dublin side in the provincial semi-final, also at Dunganny, as they turned in a hugely impressive display to win by 1-15 to 1-2. They could afford the luxury of 16 wides and still had 13 points to spare at the end. Menton, who had operated in the half-forward line against Offaly, reverted to full-back for this match and adapted brilliantly to his new role. Tommy Johnson, a player of tremendous ability, was highly influential in the No. 6 jersey and received very effective support from Stephen O'Brien and Cavan lad Eoghan Smyth either side of him. Broderick and Berrigan again gave Meath a solid base at midfield and Tormey excelled in attack, but it was wind-assisted Dublin who made the more encouraging start as Gearoid Seach found the net. However, Meath soon found their feet and got back to level terms thanks to points from Tormey, Darragh O'Brien and Gavin Coyle. O'Brien, Tormey and Mick Convey tagged on points as Meath edged into a narrow 0-6 to 1-2 interval lead and they took over completely in the second period when the visitors failed to add to their tally. The advantage was stretched out to 0-13 to 1-2 by the three-quarter stage and a goal from Eoin Dolan eight minutes from the end copper-fastened the Royal County's position of supremacy. Meath - P Curran; P Moran, B Menton, T Rahill; S O'Brien, T Johnson, E Smyth; J Broderick (0-1), C Berrigan; Mick Convey (0-1), D O'Brien (0-3), E Dolan (1-2); G Coyle (0-2), A Tormey (0-5), S Barden (0-1). Subs - Mark Convey for O'Brien, D Molloy for Dolan, S Kavanagh for Coyle, S Clusker for Barden, I O'Donnell for Curran. That comfortable success set up a Leinster final meeting with Kildare at Pairc Tailteann in early February and, while the Meath performance was more patchy that those against Offaly and Dublin, it was still good enough to earn a comprehensive 2-12 to 1-7 win and another provincial title. Meath were forced to field without the influential Menton, who was away on a skiing holiday, and Sean Curran started at full-back where he performed extremely well. Tomas Rahill, Stephen O'Brien and Johnson were also very much to the fore in defence, while Broderick and Berrigan were again influential at midfield once they settled into the contest. Coyle was impressive in attack, as were top scorer Tormey, who register a very valuable 1-5, Dolan and Darragh O'Brien, but the most crucial factor in Meath's victory was undoubtedly their tremendous workrate which was a feature of the showings throughout the championship. Meath struggled to settle to the pace of the game in the first quarter, with their only score being a Tormey point after 11 minutes as Kildare opened up a 0-3 to 0-1 lead. Points from Darragh O'Brien and Tormey had them level and they were in front thanks to a somewhat fortunate goal from Dolan whose shot hit the crossbar, before the ball found its way to the net off the head of Lilywhites' goalkeeper Paul Clinch. Clinch had better luck when he denied O'Brien with a brilliant save, but Meath enjoyed a 1-6 to 0-4 lead at the change of ends after Tormey had added two points - one of them a glorious effort from 50 metres - and Dolan got another. With wind advantage to come for Meath in the second half only one outcome looked possible and they steadily pushed further ahead. A superb goal from Tormey put the icing on the cake and Donncha Tobin's late goal for Kildare was no more than a consolation score. Meath - P Curran; P Moran, S Curran, T Rahill; S O'Brien, T Johnson, E Smyth; J Broderick (0-1), C Berrigan; M Convey, D O'Brien (0-2), E Dolan (1-1); G Coyle (0-1), A Tormey (1-5), S Barden. Subs - S Kavanagh (0-2) for Barden, I O'Donnell for D O'Brien, D Molloy for Coyle, D O'Loughlin for Convey, S Clusker for P Curran. That win over Kildare left Meath just one step away from another All-Ireland final place and there to meet them at the penultimate hurdle were Monaghan - on the artificial pitch at Darver in County Louth. Playing on such a surface obviously suited neither side, but it was a case of having to get on with it. As it transpired, Monaghan got the game's two goals, after six minutes of each half, and with Meath squandering chances when aided by the strong wind in the opening period, they left the door open for the Ulster side to record at minimum margin (2-6 to 0-11) victory. The scene was set when Tormey hit a post in the first minute. Meath dominated the early stages, but they couldn't score and Philip O'Callaghan notched a superb goal for Monaghan to give their hopes a huge boost against the elements. It took Henry's side 15 minutes to open their account when the brilliant Tormey pointed and they went on to hold what looked like a very precarious 0-6 to 1-1 interval lead. Menton, Tormey (three) and substitute Stephen Kavanagh scored the other Meath points in the first half, but Monaghan reduced the deficit soon after the restart when O'Callaghan split the uprights. Broderick, who impressed despite carrying an injury, hit the crossbar as Meath missed another goal opportunity, but at least there was the consolation of seeing Dolan point from the rebound. Monaghan took advantage of the let-off when Christopher McGuinness produced a superb finish for their second goal and a 2-2 to 0-7 lead, but tenacious Meath started to move with greater fluency and responded positively. Tormey kicked two frees and Gavin Coyle also found his range to edge their team 0-10 to 2-2 ahead early in the final quarter, but this time it was Monaghan who found the decisive response as they made the most of the wind. Shane Coyle, Pete Dooney and Kevin Mooney pointed to leave them ahead by the minimum (2-5 to 0-10) and McGuinness soon stretched the advantage to two points. As the excitement intensified, Broderick pointed for Meath who then went in search of an equaliser - or a winner. Darragh O'Brien, who had been reintroduced after being substituted in the first half, saw his goal chance go wide, before Tormey's late point attempt was thwarted. It was a case of so near and yet so far for Meath and their dreams of reaching another All-Ireland final and making amends for the previous year's defeat were shattered. But the overall showing of the team was a tremendous credit to the players and management and they did, after all, win another provincial title. The search for a first All-Ireland success at this level since the 1956 triumph goes on, but the signs are encouraging with so much vital work being done. Meath - P Curran; P Moran, S Curran, T Rahill; S O'Brien, T Johnson, E Smyth; J Broderick (0-1), C Berrigan; M Convey, D O'Brien, E Dolan (0-1); G Coyle (0-1), A Tormey (0-6), B Menton (0-1). Subs - S Kavanagh (0-1) for D O'Brien, I O'Donnell for Rahill, O'Brien for Dolan. Tweet

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