Meath ............... 3-17
Roscommon ..... 1-9

Meath ran out easy winners over a game Roscommon side in this All-Ireland Under 21 H B semi-final at St Loman's Park, Mullingar on Saturday, to secure a meeting with Kerry in the decider.

Roscommon battled gamely to stay in contention but their resistance crumbled after Meath substitute Noel Fagan netted in the 52nd minute with assistance from David Raleigh.

That left it 3-12 to 1-9 and Kevin Dowd's charges tagged on five points without reply with another replacement Kevin Keena registering twice. Neil Heffernan, Eoin Marsh and Keith Keoghan also contributed in that late scoring burst.

By the end ten different Meath players had registered from open play while Roscommon managed just two scores after the change of ends.

Meath's win also owed much to the defensive efforts of Daniel Carty and William Mahady while the latter's Kiltale clubmate, goalkeeper Shane McGann, made a couple of fines saves when the outcome was still in the balance.

Roscommon's Niall Kilroy finished with seven points to his name and when he closed his side's account with a magnificent effort from play, the board read 2-11 to1-9 with just over 50 minutes gone.

Anthony Healy replied with his second fine score from play. Then came Fagan's goal and it was plain sailing thereafter for the Royals.

John Coyne pointed Roscommon in front early on but Meath's response saw David Raleigh place Barry Slevin for the opening goal three minutes in.

Two Niall Kilroy points (one free and one 65) restored parity by the sixth minute. But for the vigilance of 'McGann Meath might have been in arrears at this point.

Points from Keith Keoghan (free) and Alan Douglas restored Meath's advantage but Seamus Qualter's men hung in there and when Coyne goaled in the 14th minute Roscommon were back in front, 1-4 to1-3.

Kilroy doubled Roscommon's advantage from a long-range free but in a closely contested opening-half Meath replied to hit the front again with a Keoghan 65 in the 21st minute.

Points from Kilroy (free) and David Dolan restored Roscommon's lead, 1-7 to 1-6, by the 28th minute.

Mark O'Sullivan levelled matters before Neil Heffernan struck Meath's second goal when diverting a Keoghan free to the Roscommon net in the 29th minute.

O'Sullivan added another point to leave it 2-7 to 1-7 at half-time. Meath outscored Roscommon by 0-4 to 0-2 in the 20 minutes after the resumption before pulling clear in the latter stages.

Meath - S. McGann; D. Carty, M. Dunne, W. Mahady, A. Watters, K. Joyce, D. Kennedy; K. Keoghan (0-3, 2 65s 1 f), M .O'Sullivan (0-2) ; A. Healy (0-2), E. Marsh (0-3), A. Douglas (0-1); B. Slevin (1-1), N. Heffernan (1-2), D. Raleigh (0-1). Subs - N. Fagan (1-0) for Slevin, G. Murphy for Watters (both 41), K. Keena (0-2, 1 f) for Healy (55).

Roscommon - N. Connaughton; B. Donnelly, P. Kelleghan, M. Keavney; E. Mulry, P. Kelly, C. Kelly; A. Moore, J. Donnelly; E. Kenny, N. Kilroy (0-7, 4 fs, 1 65), D. Dolan (0-1); A. Purcell, J. Coyne (1-1), A. Leahy. Subs - J. Lawlor for Moore (24), C. Egan for Purcell (ht), C. Kelly for J. Donnelly (55).

Referee - J. O'Rourke (Monaghan). Tweet

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