McDonagh Cup: Meath rock Kingdom but last gasp point sees Kerry into final
July 10, 2021
Meath's Eamonn O Donnchadha with Kerry's Bryan Murphy during the Joe McDonagh Round 3 clash at Pairc Tailteann.
Padraig Boyle's long range point deep into second-half stoppage time secured a final spot for Kerry despite losing to Meath in a thriller at Pairc Tailteann on Saturday night.
Meath ........ 0-28
Kerry ........ 1-21
Fintan O'Connor men will face Westmeath in the final, hoping to improve on last year's loss to Antrim in the decider. That late point just kept their bid intact. With all three teams in the group finishing with one win each, Meath inferior score difference ruled them out of contention.
Kerry final place was confirmed having scored more goals more goals than Down in the round robin phase
Despite their heroics, Meath will line up against Kildare in the relegation decider with the losing side dropping to hurling's third tier (Christy Ring Cup).
Howver, both sides in the relegation decider will take heart from their weekend showings with Meath securing their first ever win in a Joe McDonagh Cup game on foot of a thrilling second-half showing.
Conditions were ideal; dry, overcast with no wind. Kerry looked set to kick-on when Cian Hussey bagged what proved to be the only goal of the game in the 27th minute.
Soon Kerry were five clear after Boyle pointed from his own 65. By half-time the visitors led by 1-13 to 0-13.
Shane Conway's 0-10 (from play and placed balls) kept Kerry on the front foot until the final quarter.
The teams were level eight times in the first-half, but only once thereafter, in the 42nd minute when one of Paddy Conneely's six points from play left it 0-17 to 1-14.
The game entered a very competitive phase with both sides making a concerted bid for the points. James Toher put Meath ahead, but by the mid-point of the second-half Kerry were three to the good with Mickey Boyle, Mickey Leane and Maurice O'Connor raising white flags in quick succession. That lett it 1-18 to 0-18.
From there to the end, Meath outscored Kerry by 0-10 to 0-3. Jack Regan led the way for the Royals with 0-13, the highlight being a pointed sideline cut in the 64th minute. Fortunately, for Kerry 13 second-half wides didn't derail the Kingdom bid for honours.
Paddy Conneely and Alan Douglas chipped in with nine points from play between them. An 11-point win would have put Meath in with a shout for a final spot. However, they can take encouragement from their final quarter showing against a side who were 1/10 to win.
When Meath lost impressive midfielder James Toher to a second yellow card in second-half stoppage time a memorable success was secure.
The sides were level eight times before Kerry made a significant breakthrough in the 26th minute when Cian Hussey goal at the town end.
But for an excellent block by Meath 'keeper Charlie Ennis, Hussey would have grabbed a second goal in the 28th minute.
Kerry had Brendan O'Leary sinbinned with the interval approaching, but Jack Regan's penalty was stopped by John B O'Halloran.
Hussey pointed for temporarily numerically deficient Kerry within two minutes of resumption. To their credit, Nick Weir's men retained focus to secure a memorable win.
Scorers: Meath - Jack Regan 0-13 (5fs, 2 65s, 2 sls); Paddy Conneely 0-6; Alan Douglas 0-3. Padraic O'Hanrahan 0-2; Ian Birmingham, Mark O'Sullivan, Adam Gannon, James Toher 0-1 each.
Scorers : Kerry - Shane Conway 0-10 (8fs, 1 65); Cian Hussey 1-1; Padraig Boyle 0-4 (1f); Shane Nolan 0-2; Daniel Collins, Mickey Boyle, Maurice O'Connor, Michael Leane 0-1.each.
Meath - Charlie Ennis, Ger Murphy, Shane Whitty, Sean Geaghty, James Kelly, Darragh Kelly, Keith Keogan, Stephen Morris, James Toher, Mark O’Sullivan, Jack Regan, Ian Bermingham, Adam Gannon, Alan Douglas, Paddy Conneely. Subs - Sean Quigley for Conneely (48), Padraic O'Hanrahan for Morris (53), Shane Brennan for Kelly (55), Eamonn O Donnchadha for Douglas (59), Callum O'Sullivan for Regan (74).
Kerry - John B O’Halloran; Eric Leen, Evan Murphy, Tomás O’Connor; Conor O’Keeffe, Fionan Mackessy, Jason Diggins; Paudie O’Connor, Shane Nolan; Mikey Boyle, Daniel Collins, Brendan O’Leary; Padraig Boyle, Shane Conway, Cian Hussey. Subs - Maurice O'Connor for D Collins (ht), Bryan Murphy for T O'Connor (44), Michael Leane for O'Leary (51). Sin-bin - Brendan O'Leary (34-44).
Referee - Shane Hynes (Galway)
