74′
The game may be over as a contest, but Meath are not giving up anything. Brendan Murphy saves from Alan Brogan, the ball looks like it may drop into the net but one of a handful of Meath defenders in the small square paws it away from danger.
There’s the final whistle. Meath are back in the Leinster final for the first time since 2001. They’ll play Louth or Westmeath, whose semi-final throws in at 5.50pm.
We’ll be back for that one.
69′
Well, well, well.
The rout is complete. Brian Farrell, with his first touch, tips a high dropping ball away from two defenders and strokes the ball, Bloemfontein-style, past Cluxton for Meath’s fifth.
65′
That’s just messing. Cian Ward puts the ball down about 70-odd yards from goal but this one is off target.
65′
Kevin McManamon has had the bit between his teeth since coming on. He scores a good point from the left wing but there’s still eight in it.
That was Dublin’s first point from play since the 17th minute, TV3’s Mike Finnerty tells me. We’re now in the 65th. That’s almost as bad as their goalshy efforts against Wexford.
63′
Dublin have enjoyed their days against Meath for the last eight years or so, so surely all you Dubs will allow us our day in the sun today?
Not true, according to Micko from Artane. “Meath will do nothing in the Championship this year. They’re seriously flattered by this scoreline, and we’re no good. They be eaten by Kerry or Cork.”
61′
Another goal chance for Dublin but Meath defend it well this time. Kevin McManamon it was, but Eoghan Harrington throws his body in the line of fire.
Dublin captain David Henry is introduced. You’d have to wonder how he feels – scapegoated and dropped for the performance against Wexford, and kicking his heels on the bench when his side needed leaders today.
60′
Yet again Dublin are flummoxed by the woodwork. Eoin O’Gara this time, his driven effort for a point cannons back into play and Meath can clear.
59′
An obscene point from a free by Cian Ward. Must’ve been 65 yards out as the crow flies, but it sailed over.
And from the kick-out Graham Reilly is freed down the left, he cuts in from a tight angle and fists over. Ten points in it now, and the end of the road for Dublin.
57′
Only one of the starting midfielders is still on the field. Conor Gillespie is on for Meath to join fellow sub Nigel Crawford, while Michael Dara McAuley has joined Eamonn Fennell in the Dublin engine-room.
55′
Meath have Dublin blood in their nostrils. Joe Sheridan plucks another ball out of the air and has designs on another goal but he’s dispossessed.
Wonder what price it would have been for Meath and Germany to score four goals each today?
54′
“It’s wonderful to see goals of that quality,” says Paul Earley behind the TV3 mic.
Couldn’t agree with you more, Paul. Wonderful indeed.
53′
Goal Meath!
There’s just no stopping this Meath goal machine. Joe Sheridan is given a free run in on goal from the 45-metre line and just as the defenders were closing in, he rifles his shot across Cluxton and inside the post.
51′
The luck just isn’t with Dublin. Bernard Brogan has a go for a point but it hits the post, comes back into play and Meath escape.
And the next time Brogan gets the ball he’s fouled, shrugs off Kevin Reilly and sticks the ball in the net – but referee Padraig Hughes had blown his whistle for a free in, which Quinn converts. Wasn’t much advantage to Dublin there.
49′
Michael Dara McAuley is on for Dublin. Pat Gilroy is emptying the bench but so far they’ve no real answer to Meath’s power. Meath have introduced captain Nigel Crawford, who has been sidelined by injury for the last month or so.
48′
Goal Meath!
It’s a game of inches indeed. Graham Reilly charges out of defence, picks out Stephen Bray, he rounds Stephen Cluxton and his shot, much like Flynn’s at the other end moments earlier, hits the inside of the post. Only this time it ends up in the net. Meath lead by six.
46′
So close for Dublin!
Paul Flynn leaves Caoimhin King for dead and keeper Brendan Murphy is rooted to the spot but Flynn’s rocket hits the inside of the post and sins wide on the far side of the goal.
45′
That was Keaney’s last act, too. He’s off, replaced by Eoin O’Gara.
44′
They’re showing a replay of the Mark Ward and Conal Keaney challenge. Paul Earley reckons it certainly wasn’t a free. I would disagree in the strongest possible terms. It looked like the clearest free all day. Having said that, it led to the Meath goal so maybe it was a correct call by the referee.
43′
Ward is on fire. A long-range free arrows straight between the posts to silence thousands of blue-bellied Dubs behind the goal on Hill 16. At the other end it’s Mossy again. He’s keeping Dublin in it.
42′
There’s a right bit of bite to it now. It’ll be interesting to see what the Sunday Game guys say about the Keaney-Mark Ward incident later. Paul Earley reckons that was the goal of the championship from Cian Ward. He clearly wasn’t watching Sligo’s David Kelly earlier.
41′
Goal Meath!
Conal Keaney on the wrong end of a challenge by Mark Ward. It looked dangerous by Ward, but referee Padraig Hughes sees nothing wrong with it, Meath counter and Cian Ward – from barely even a half-chance – cracks a shot past Cluxton for Meath’s second goal.
39′
Brian Meade goes in the book for a foul on Ger Brennan. It was a very silly foul, says Paul Earley. Maybe it was, but Meade was getting burnt by Brennan’s pace. Mossy is on form today and he finds the target with that one.
38′
Just checked Dictionary.com to make sure. Idyllic – “charmingly simple or rustic”
Down on the field, Shane O’Rourke pops over his third point to edge Meath in front again.
36′
The heat could play a part here, says Eugene McGee. It’s very warm at Croke apparently. “Absolutely idyllic conditions,” says Mike Finnerty, comically mixing up idyllic with ideal.
Liam Hayes reckons Meath have more in reserve, so expect Dublin to win by eight.
Anyway, we’re away again.
Half-time: Meath 1-5 Dublin 0-8
Level at the break. The game had a dazzling start but it’s been a lot more tense for the last 20 minutes or so. Plenty of mistakes on both sides. Parity is about right – neither side has done enough to lead.
36′
The shooting in this one hasn’t quite been as bad as Galway-Sligo, but there has been plenty of wayward stuff. Barry Cahill swings a leg at one which goes nowhere close.
34′
Eamonn Fennell powers through, is grabbed by Brian Meade and referee Hughes blows the whistle. Mossy with the free and he makes no mistake.
33′
Cian Ward tries to fire it over from the sideline and makes great contact. It looks to be dropping over but Cluxton, the little springer, rises to catch it on top of his crossbar.
33′
This one’s getting tastier by the minute. Paul Flynn and Seamus Kenny wrestle over the sideline, and Eamonn Fennell is in the book for a solid shoulder on Brian Meade. I thought the big Dub was unlucky there.
31′
A scintillating point by Cian Ward. He picked up possession 70 yards from goal, rode a few challenges and chipped it over Cluxton’s bar. Three points in a row for Meath and we’re in front! Or, should I say, they’re in front!
29′
Graham Reilly has just woken up to the fact that he isn’t the dogs goolies. His second effort is almost as bad as his first. Well wide. And as if to offer him some solidarity, Joe Sheridan slices another effort well off target.
28′
Bryan Cullen fists a high dropping ball away from Joe Sheridan but referee Padraig Hughes gives the free. ‘Twas never a free, but I’ll take it. Cian Ward slots it, and the sides are level.
27′
“Gary O’Brien is having a testing time,” says Paul Earley. I know, Paul. Alan Brogan is pulling lots of strings.
And it’s 4-1 Germany by the way. Hweh, hweh, hweh…
25′
Looks like I was wrong with my confident prediction that Gary O’Brien wouldn’t start in the centre. He is, and he’s struggling a bit against Alan Brogan.
23′
Bray has started really well and he adds another score to cut the gap back to one. In Bloemfontein, it’s 3-1 Germany. Follow that one here.
22′
Graham Reilly with “his first meaningful touch” says the TV3 main man Mike Finnerty.
No, Mike. It was his first touch, meaningful or otherwise. And it was a terrible one. Dropped short into the lap of Stephen Cluxton.
20′
You’d expect Bernard Brogan to kick that one with his eyes closed. Thirty yards out or so, but his kick drops wide. At the other end, Stephen Bray is also off-target. But for his goal Meath would be out of it. Dublin well on top.
18′
No rest for the wicked. Mossy with a bonus score from play. Apparently Dublin aren’t play with the defensive system, which was “ugly to watch” against Wexford, says TV3 co-commentator Paul Earley.
17′
Kevin Reilly with a possibly-costly fumble. Bernard Brogan misjudged the bounce and Reilly was under no pressure but he drops it over the end-line. Mossy’s 45 doesn’t have the range but Bernard Brogan picks up possession and cracks it over his shoulder for the lead score.
15′
The sides are level again. Mossy Quinn with a straightforward free and he raises the white flag with the minimum of fuss.
14′
That’s what we like to see. (At this point I will declare that I am a Meath man, and proud of it. I’ll try to be impartial, mostly.)
Cian Ward wins possession, feeds Shane O’Rourke and the big man does a fine impression of his father with a beautiful left-foot curler.
12′
At the other end the Brogans combine well. Alan to Bernard and he slots it over with his left foot. This looks like it could be a cracker.
10′
Goal Meath!
A belter of a goal from Stephen Bray. He has been under pressure for his place this summer but he has started well here and took that one brilliantly. Ran straight at the heart of the Dublin defence from the left sideline and when a point looked the sensible option he went for the jugular and beat Stephen Cluxton at his near post.
09′
Meath have a 45 and Cian Ward gets a quick chance to prove me right. And he proves me wrong. Hit it well enough, but it drifts to the left and wide.
08′
Bryan Cullen charges forward, gets on the end of Alan Brogan’s handpass and fists it over the bar. Dublin on top so far. They’ve scored more already than in the first half agains Wexford.
07′
Mossy with 45, and Mossy slings it over. Cian Ward would be better off kicking from the ground at the other end. Dublin lead.
06′
Another Meath attack is halted by the whistle of referee Padraig Hughes for a dodgy handpass by Shane O’Rourke. But a few moments later O’Rourke makes amends. He’s out in front of Rory O’Carroll, and without even trying to beat his man he curls it over the bar.
04′
Cian Ward with a free from 50 metres out but chooses to go from the hands. He gives it plenty of air, as is his wont, but this one goes outside the upright.
03′
Conal Keaney opens the scoring for Dublin. Eamonn Fennell soars to catch Brendan Murphy’s kick-out. Dublin are playing into the Hill, and if that’s a sign of things to come Meath could be in trouble.
01′
We’re under way. Seems like a good atmosphere at Croker, although maybe TV3 just have extra microphones beside the Hill.
1601:
Gary O’Brien is named at centre back for Meath in place of the injured Michael Burke. But I would think there’s more chance of me starting centre back than Gary O’Brien. I’m a goalkeeper by trade, and I’m not even at Croke Park.
1556:
“I expect a Dublin backlash. They might just pip it,” says Senan Connell.
“If Meath can keep Dublin goalless, they should win by two or three points” – Liam Hayes.
Eugene McGee: “Meath have better forwards and at this time of year that should be enough.”
If good forwards is good enough at this time of year, at what time of year is it not? I’m stumped.
1549:
Let’s remind ourselves of the teams.
Dublin: S Cluxton; M Fitzsimons, R O’Carroll, P McMahon; G Brennan, B Cullen, B Cahill; E Fennell, R McConnell; P Flynn, A Brogan, N Corkery; C Keaney, B Brogan, T Quinn.
Meath: B Murphy; C O’Connor, K Reilly, E Harrington; A Moyles, G O’Brien, C King; B Meade, M Ward; S Kenny, J Sheridan, G Reilly; C Ward, S O’Rourke, S Bray.
1546:
We’re focusing on events at Croke Park, where Meath take on Dublin in the Leinster SFC semi-final. Forget England and Germany. This is the main event this weekend.
