Meath produce late on to shock Galway and secure All-Ireland semi-final berth

Irish Examiner

7 hours ago

Meath 2-16 (2-0-16) Galway 2-15 (2-2-11)
Maybe let's just forget the opening 50 minutes. Very little exciting, very little memorable. But leave it there to the last quarter. Drama overflowing. Momentum lurching. The Royals and Jordan Morris roaring on.
Morris pointed off a Galway kickout not retained by a maroon shirt on 50 minutes. It was their second point of the second period that they'd engineered from a spoiled Galway kickout.
It was the second point in a 1-3 Royal burst. From level to a six-point lead that had a strong matching-winning whiff off it.
We make no apologies that so much of this report has already and will continue to centre on Morris. On 51 minutes, Conor Gleeson denied his goal drive. Ciarán Caulfield subsequently kicked wide.
Galway were taking on water and yet Meath were keeping their ship afloat with these chances not taken. Then, in a stunning two minutes, they pressed down hard on Joyce's ship and Joyce's time as Galway manager.
Daniel O'Flaherty turned over, sub Conor Gray uprooting the green flag. Meath profiting off Galway turnovers - 2-6 in total - was the story of the game, even if the headline will be Meath progressing to a first All-Ireland semi-final since 2009.
That progression appeared sealed as early as the 54th minute. Meath won Gleeson's kickout following the goal, Morris thumping the ball back between his posts. 1-12 to 0-9.
Four minutes was all that Galway required to torpedo those semi-final dreams. Enter Damien Comer, re-enter Galway.
The Tribesmen thundered back into contention with 2-3 between the 56th and 59th minute. The returning Comer had a hand in three of the four scores.
He won the free for a Shane Walsh two-pointer. He won the sideline that began a sequence of passes that ended with fellow replacement Cillian McDaid shaking the net. He won the equalising free that Rob Finnerty converted.
The stunning overtaking movement was completed by Liam Silke. Nerve held at the end of another delicious run of defence-splitting passes.
All this in 10 minutes and still another 10 to run. The final leg was determined to best what had come before.
Jordan Morris of Meath scores his side's second goal. Pic: Daire Brennan/Sportsfile
Gleeson, for the third time in this quarter-final, produced a fantastic save to deny the soccer-style effort of Morris. Yes, we are back to Morris.
The subsequent 45 was kicked wide by Meath 'keeper Billy Hogan, two of three he would kick in the second period.
Gleeson went short with the restart. Galway corner-back Johnny McGrath turned over. Matthew Costello to Morris. Goal. Meath back in front 2-13 to 2-12.
Cathal Hickey and Morris swelled that lead to three as Walsh kicked wide and Paul Conroy's two-point effort fell short at the far end.
Comer's white flag was quickly cancelled out by Morris. Walsh's second orange of the day reduced the margin to the minimum with 90 seconds remaining. Meath held possession from the restart. They were exceptionally strong under their own restart.
They held on and held out. A 16-year gap bridged for this Division 2 side who have now taken out Kerry, Dublin, and Galway in a single championship.
Cagey and careless was the opening half. Thirty-five minutes that took from, rather than in any way enhanced or added to, football's rebirth and this revitalised championship it has fed.
After 16 minutes, the scoreline read 0-1 apiece. Messrs cagey and careless were equal parts responsible.
Of Meath's opening six points attempts, only Seán Coffey was successful. And but for the glove of recalled Galway 'keeper Gleeson, the flag would have been green, not white.
Of the other five, Morris was thrice wide, Keith Curtin was also off-target, and Conor Duke was short.
Galway's kicking was less of an issue. Their first half rap sheet had only one short and three wides, one of which was a Dylan McHugh goal chance that could very easily have been a penalty for Billy Hogan's outstretched leg.
Galway's issue was their handling and decision-making. Their handling was infuriatingly poor.
Meath manager Robbie Brennan, left, and coach Carl Manning celebrate. Pic: Shauna Clinton/Sportsfile
Meath's second point from Eoghan Frayne, on 17 minutes, stemmed from a Seán Kelly handpass intercepted. Their third from Jordan Morris came from Matthew Thompson needlessly losing possession at the far end. For their fifth, Cian Hernon was at fault for the turnover.
Matthew Costello executed a superb down the line pass to Ruairí Kinsella. The pattern should be clear by now.
Kinsella's 27th minute point shoved the Royals 0-5 to 0-3 in front. A not insignificant lead in the context of a throwback opening half shy of flags. Meath would lead by two again on the half hour. Their early inaccuracy had been corrected. No wide in 20 minutes. And yet still they found themselves behind at the break.
Matthew Tierney caught and converted a wayward Cein Darcy point attempt. Walsh assisted the latest driving run of Seán Kelly, with Maher punching over 38 seconds after the hooter for a 0-7 to 0-6 interval advantage.
It wasn't their taxing schedule of late that led to this lead and their three-point lead on the hour mark not being protected.
Jordan Morris was interviewed pitchside post-match. He tried and tried to keep his emotions in check. With his last utterance, he roared to the green and gold. 'C'mon the Royals'.
On they roar. The championship's surprise package spring another upset.
Scorers for Meath: J Morris (1-6); M Costello (0-4, 0-1 free); C Gray (1-0); D Keogan, S Coffey, C Duke, B Menton, E Frayne, C Hickey (0-1 each).
Scorers for Galway: S Walsh (0-5, 2 tp); R Finnerty (0-3, 0-2 frees); L Silke, C McDaid (1-0 each); M Tierney, M Thompson (0-2 each); S Kelly, J Maher, D Comer (0-1 each).
MEATH: B Hogan; R Ryan, S Rafferty, S Lavin; D Keogan, S Coffey, C Caulfield; B Menton, A O'Neill; M Costello, R Kinsella, C Duke; J Morris, E Frayne, K Curtis.
SUBS: C Hickey for Curtis (42); B O'Halloran for Lavin (temporary, 46-49); C Gray for O'Neill (46); B O'Halloran for S Rafferty (56), S Rafferty for Lavin (60); E Harkin for Duke (temporary, 64); C McBride for Menton (67).
GALWAY: C Gleeson; J McGrath, S Fitzgerald, J Glynn; D McHugh, S Kelly, C Hernon; J Maher, C Darcy; L Silke, M Tierney, P Cooke; M Thompson, S Walsh, R Finnerty.
SUBS: P Conroy for Hernon (42); C McDaid for Cook (43); D O'Flaherty for McHugh, D Comer for Tierney (both 51); K Molloy for Kelly (64).
REFEREE: M McNally (Monaghan).