Meath Sinks Dublin

Leinster GAA Football Senior Championship Semi-Final: Dublin 0-13 Meath 5-9

It was hard to figure out if we were witnessing the re-emergence of one of football's great forces or the demise of another, as Meath by 5-9 to 0-13 in the Leinster GAA Football Senior Championship semi-final at Croke Park. 

Pat Gilroy, the Dublin manager, had looked to some familiar faces after the new dawn turned distinctly bleak after the extra-time win over Wexford in the quarter-finals. The old guard didn't do much better, leaking five goals as Dublin relinquished their five-year grip on the Leinster title in the most embarrassing circumstances.

Dublin's provincial hegemony may have led to little success in the latter stages of the Championship, but at least it insulated from the coruscating criticism that is likely to follow a defensive implosion against their greatest rivals.

Gilroy opted not to tinker with a callow defence with little experience at this level. It was a big mistake. Meath's full-forward line have been making waves this summer and they proved there is more than a little substance to the hype by contributing a remarkable 3-8 of their side's total.

Stephen Bray filleted Philly McMahon and scored two goals, including a sublime first-half effort that helped them level the game at 1-5 to 0-8 at the break. Dublin's implosion followed soon after. Meath scored three goals in 13 minutes in the third quarter, during which the Dubs managed to hit a post and Bernard Brogan was unlucky to have a goal disallowed. It would be facile to say it was a turning point because Dublin were so weak and naive defensively that the game had already swung irrevocably in their favour.

Meath's fifth goal, three minutes from time, exposed the fault lines in Dublin's defence on the day, as Brian Farrell fed off yet another high ball the champions' full-back line failed to deal with and slotted the ball nonchalantly past Stephen Cluxton to complete an 11-point win.

Dublin had started reasonably well and were ahead inside two minutes, when Conal Keaney boomed over a free kick from his hands from way out under the Cusack Stand. Dublin-Meath games are frequently shoot outs between free-takers and the portents were not good for the Royals when the always-reliable Ward drove his first two attempts from placed balls wide.

Meath opened their account in the fourth minute when Shane O'Rourke beat Rory O'Carroll to the ball and drove a fine effort over the bar. Dublin put daylight between the sides when Mossie Quinn opened his account from a '45 after Anthony Moyles had deflected Keaney's attempted shot with a brilliant block. Bryan Cullen, in the side at centre-back, bombed forward, took a pass from livewire centre-forward Alan Brogan and fisted Dublin two points clear.

Significantly, Alan Brogan, who was back in the team in place of team captain David Henry at centre-forward, was to have a major impact on the first half. The older of the Brogan brother's fingerprints were on at least three of Dublin's scores in the opening 35 minutes and he was causing Gary O'Brien considerable trouble in the opening stages.

Brogan gave the Dubs what they were lacking when they sleep walked through their quarter-final win over Wexford: a fulcrum upon which their attack could play off. Henry, after all, is better known as a corner back and his disinclination to get involved in attack against Wexford had given Dublin and overly defensive look.

The changes to Dublin's attack looked to have them better set up to deal with a big, physical Meath side, but they were still vulnerable at the back, as Bray so ruthlessly exposed after 10 minutes. It was Meath's first major incision and it cut right to the bone. Bray collected the ball way out on the wing and the jet-heeled Navan O'Mahony's man left Eamon Fennell in his vapour trail and sliced through a non-existence right defensive flank to slam the ball home.

It was a significant moment and one that might have been a terminal blow to a callow Dublin defence. The Dubs' attack, however, was still hitting all the right notes and the champions hit three of the next four points to lead by 0-7 to 1-2 after 17 minutes. Having floundered the last time out, the Dublin midfield made hay and won their fair share of possession. It was one less worry for Dublin manager Gilroy.

Bernard Brogan scores two points from play in that period, feeding like a piranha off any loose ball in the full-forward line, while Quinn gave a reminder that he is more than just a one-trick pony with a point from play to add to a free and a '45 he had earlier kicked.

It was a curious half of football which neither side dominated. There were periods of dominance from each side, though, and Meath enjoyed just such a spell towards the end of the half, kicking three successive points to momentarily take the lead. Ward kicked two of those scores before Quinn levelled the game for Dublin just before the break.

It is customary to choose the turning point of a game. However, this match had a 12-minute spell during which the complexion was completely altered. From the 41st to the 53rd minute, Meath dismantled the Dublin defence on three separate occasions.

During that spell, Paul Flynn rattled a post for Dublin after a fine run and shot and Bernard Brogan was desperately unlucky to have a goal ruled out after the referee had blown up for a free in his favour just after he had hit the back of the net.

By that stage, Meath had plundered their fourth goal after McMahon had misjudged the flight of a high ball and Joe Sheridan raced clear to fire a rocket past Stephen Cluxton. Meath's first of the half came from Ward after Brian Meade had lumbered into a dead end and passed to Bray. He found Ward who cracked a hopeful shot that deflected off a defender and nestled in the net.

Five minutes later, Graham Reilly exposed a gaping fissure in the Dublin defence, burrowing past three defenders before finding Bray, who beat Cullen to the ball and danced around the keeper. Dublin were a spent force, their defensive frailties having drained any remaining confidence from them.

As the Dublin supporters drifted away, the final act in a humiliating experience fell to Farrell, who profited from some more kamikaze defending to land Meath's fifth goal.