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(Report taken from Unison.ie)

PACKING too much scoring power against a wasteful Offaly side, Meath claimed their first Leinster MFC title since 1993 in the Croke Park curtain-raiser yesterday.

After being fortunate winners over Laois in their provincial semi-final, Meath stepped up considerably on that display and took their scoring opportunities much better than their opponents who hit eight wides in each half.

These were to prove costly for the Offaly side but, in truth, Meath had plenty of aces in the pack throughout.

Midfielder Shane O'Rourke and wing forward Graham Reilly showed the way with five points apiece for the winners, while Offaly simply never got their noses in front.

Delivery

Meath got a boost after nine minutes when corner-forward Alan Nestor cut in from the right and finished to the net to leave his side 1-2 to 0-1 to the good. Offaly, though, responded almost immediately, striking their first goal three minutes later when James Gorman got in behind the Meath cover to collect a delivery from Ross Brady and fire home.

His effort reduced the deficit to two points, 1-3 to 1-1. There were more wides than scores in the first half which ended with converted frees from Brian Sheridan and O'Rourke and a Reilly effort from play giving Meath a 1-7 to 1-3 advantage.

The Royals resumed strongly with points from Reilly and Sheridan and, on 35 minutes, Sheridan had the opportunity to wrap up the title, but Offaly 'keeper Brian Quinlan kept the game alive for another while with a fine save.

Boosted by that let-off, Offaly came back strongly and after 47 minutes a goal from Ken Casey narrowed the arrears to just three points, 1-11 to 2-5.

Recovered

That score came immediately after Willie Mulhall blasted a penalty - awarded for a foul on Gorman - off the woodwork.

However, Meath were not to be denied and they showed admirable composure to recover from that scare. Offaly did not score again and O'Rourke and Reilly were most prominent in the Royals' dash to the winning post.

SCORERS - Meath: S O'Rourke (3f), G Reilly 0-5 each; A Nestor 1-2 (1f); B Sheridan 0-2 (1f); S Keating, C Lynch 0-1 each. Offaly: K Casey 1-2 (2f); J Gorman 1-1; W Mulhall 0-2.

MEATH - J Ginnity; G Farrelly, S Sheppard, S Carr; D Donegan, E Reilly, P Brady; S O'Rourke, C Finn; G Reilly, C Lynch, D Dalton; A Nestor, S Keating, B Sheridan. Subs: C Carry for Keating (49), P Larkin for Lynch (60), C Clarke for E Reilly (61).

OFFALY - B Quinlan; B Lonergan, D Hales, S Pender; G Ward, D Horan, J Knight; D Kilmartin, R Brady; J Gorman, D Currams, B Kelly; W Mulhall, N Dunne, K Casey. Subs: C Mahon for Kilmartin (ht); N Geraghty for Horan (32); C Egan for Dunne (44); G O'Connell for Kelly (54); P Lambe for R Brady (58).

REF - D Fahy (Longford).

I suppose if we were lucky to make it through against the Dubs, it was probably a bit much to expect that we'd win here, though for a brief period at the start it actually looked like we were in with a very good chance. Our shooting was off, as it continued throughout the whole game, but we were putting good ball in, and it seemed like the two corner forwards might have made some headway if they got a chance to run at their direct opponents.

But we didn't shoot well, they did and as a result we were always behind. Reilly and Finn in their half back line came into the game in a big way, they started to eat up breaks, get past the first line of defence and hit good ball into the corner lads. Whether due to Brady's injury or whatever, we never really made any impact around the midfield, and by the end of game we say Mulhall and Casey both having to come back past the 45 to pick up the ball - it was never going to end well if that was the case.

It's probably a bit much to say that there's an All Ireland in this team, but rightly or wrongly playing Donegal doesn't lead to the same fear as if we were playing Mayo or Kerry. No doubt it's a decent batch of Tir Chonaill buachaills, or else they wouldn't have won Ulster, but hopefully the forwards, Casey in particular, will find their range again and we could pull off a surprise.

I thought we'd be closer to Meath. I saw the league game earlier in the year and there wasn't as much between them. Some of the players who lined out for Offaly at this grade last year haven't been able to make a better impact this season, which is slightly disappointing.
However, I've a lot of admiration for the effort put in by the management and players over the past two seasons.
Last Sunday after Gorman scored the goal I think we should have opted for more 'Route 1' deliveries instead of carrying the ball.

seamroga wrote: Last Sunday after Gorman scored the goal I think we should have opted for more 'Route 1' deliveries instead of carrying the ball.

I'm not sure about this, but I guess it can be a bit difficult to get minors to break from the style of game they've played all their life. Habit is tough after all, and quite often a one trick minor can get a long way with that trick. The contrast between Ross Brady and Brian Kelly for example is stark - Brady always looks to give it long, whereas Kelly often seems unable to give a ball first time, and Currams is similar.

The long ball looked like it could have yielded dividends though. That Meath full back was as small a number three as you're likely to meet.