Meath 2-9 Kildare 0-10

Goals from defenders Eamon Armstrong and Sean O’Hare either side of the break proved crucial as Meath earned their place in the Leinster Under 20 Football Championship final at the expense of Kildare at Hawkfield.

Both sides were guilty of missing a goal chance in the opening five minutes. Fionn Cooke put the home side in front before Jamie Murphy pointed three times for the visitors with ten minutes gone. Hughie Corcoran extended Meath’s lead on the 13th minute with a pointed free.

Ryan Sinkey kept Kildare in touch and the lead was narrowed to the minimum when Joey Cunningham pointed. A minute later Killian Browne sent over a great score to level matters with ten minutes remaining in the half. Kildare began to dominate and Sinky pushed them ahead soon after.

Corcoran halted that Kildare run off scores with his second of the game on the 25th minute. Colm Dalton put the Lily’s back in front but just before the half time whistle half back Eamon Armstrong broke through and crashed the ball to the Kildare net to give Meath a 1-5 to 06 interval lead.

Meath made the perfect start to the second half when corner back Sean O’Hare, with assistance from Armstrong, raised Meath’s second green flag with two minutes gone.

Oisin McDermott made a brilliant save in the Meath goal before Colm Dalton and Mark Gibbons reduced the lead to three.

Again Meath responded with Corcoran’s third and Murphy fourth score of the game to push the Royals ahead by five with ten minutes to go.

Further scores from Conor Duke and Killian Smyth made sure of a Meath victory and set Cathal O Bric’s charges up for a Leinster final tilt against Louth, who defeated Dublin 1-13 to 1-9, at Parnell Park next Monday.

Meath scorers: Jamie Murphy 0-4, Hughie Corcoran 0-3, Eamon Armstrong and Sean O'Hare 1-0 each, Conor Duke and Killian Smyth 0-1 each

Kildare scorers: Ryan Sinky and Killian Brone 0-2 each, James Harris, Colm Dalton, Mark Gibbons, Niall Cullen and Joey Cunningham 0-1 each

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