WE WERE LIVE at Croke Park for minute-by-minute coverage of this afternoon’s Leinster SFC Final between Dublin and Meath.
Could Jim Gavin’s Dubs continue their blistering start to the Championship summer and clinch an eighth Leinster title in nine years? Or, like 2010, would Meath spoil their party?
As always, we’d love to hear your comments. Send them to niall@thescore.ie, tweet them @TheScoreGAA, find us on Facebook, or leave a comment below.
Dublin 2-15 Meath 0-14
Good afternoon and welcome to Croke Park for this afternoon’s Leinster SFC final between Dublin and Meath. The temperature hasn’t quite hit the scorching heights we’ve been experiencing in recent days but it looks like we’ll still be in for a cracking afternoon in Drumcondra.
Throw-in is at 2pm. Here are the teams. Two late change for the Dubs — Kevin O’Brien and Eoghan O’Gara start in place of Darren Daly and Paddy Andrews.
Dublin: Stephen Cluxton (c); Kevin O’Brien, Rory O’Carroll, John Cooper; James McCarthy, Ger Brennan, Jack McCaffrey; Michael Darragh MacAuley, Cian O’Sullivan; Paul Flynn, Ciaran Kilkenny, Diarmuid Connolly; Paul Mannion, Eoghan O’Gara, Bernard Brogan.
Meath: Paddy O’Rourke; Donal Keogan, Kevin Reilly (c), Bryan Menton; Padraic Harnan, Mickey Burke, Seamus Kenny; Brian Meade, Conor Gillespie; Peadar Byrne, Damien Carroll, Graham Reilly; Eamonn Wallace, Stephen Bray, Michael Newman.
There’s no denying that Dublin have been the most impressive side of the Championship so far, cruising into today’s final with 16-point wins against both Westmeath and Kildare, but you should never underestimate Meath. The Royals shocked the Dubs in the 2010 semis and in last year’s Leinster final, came within a goal of another one.
So where will today’s senior title be decided? Here are five key factors that will have an impact.
The sea of blue on Hill 16 is in fine voice as the teams parade past. They are expecting the biggest crowd of the Championship so far today and it certainly seems that way.
Meath 0-2 Dublin 0-0: 2 mins — Blistering start by Meath as full-forward Stephen Bray kicks two points in the opening two minutes.
Meath 0-2 Dublin 1-1: 4 mins — GOAL FOR DUBLIN! What a response by the Dubs. Paul Mannion points their first score of the day and then, with their very next attack, Paul Flynn slams the ball into the roof of the net.
Mickey Newman strikes the posts with his free from 40 yards out. good work from Peadar Byrne earns another free but Newman is right and wide this time.
Meath making the early running despite the blow of that goal. Bray is unmarked but his effort from an acute angle goes wide. Graham Reilly is the next man in green to miss the target. Nine minutes gone.
Ciarán Kilkenny has a shooting opportunity from 35 yards out but opts to find Bernard Brogan. He is squeezed for space and his high point attempt curls but not enough. Left and wide.
13 mins — Another bad wide for Dublin. This time it’s Michael Dara Macauley who skews one past the post.
14 mins — Wonderful goal chance for Damien Carroll who gets in behind the Dublin full-back line and tries to fire a shot off the outside of his boot and across Stephen Cluxton. Just wide.
Dublin 1-2 Meath 0-2: 15 mins — Our first score since that Flynn goal. Diarmuid Connolly points for Dublin.
Dublin 1-3 Meath 0-2: 18 mins — Paul Mannion wins a free and points it for Dublin. Bernard Brogan, briefly off as a blood sub, is back on wearing number 29.
Dublin 1-3 Meath 0-3: 21 mins — Michael Newman kicks his first free of the afternoon into the Canal End.
22 mins — Should have been a goal for Dublin as Diarmuid Connolly finds himself one-on-one with Paddy O’Rourke but hits it straight at the Meath keeper’s legs.
Dublin 1-4 Meath 0-4: 23 mins — Stephen Cluxton’s 45 comes off the left upright and drops over the bar. Eamonn Wallace responds with a fisted point for the Royals.
28 mins — Another sight at goal for Dublin as Macauley’s pass finds James McCarthy running on from wing-back. He’s crowded out before he can a shot off though and, as play develops, O’Gara shoots wide. There seemed to be a little bit of afters in the goalmouth there too.
30 mins — Padraic Harnan is booked for a foul on Ciaran Kilkenny. Brogan takes the kickable free out of his hands but miscues and drops it short. Dublin still lead by two.
Dublin 1-4 Meath 0-7: 33 mins — Meath are giving Dublin all sorts of problems at the back and every time the Dubs concede a free, Newman is pointing it. He gets one and then adds another from play to draw the Royals level.
Meath 0-8 Dublin 1-4: 33 mins — A gem of a point by Eamonn Wallace. Meath lead by a point and the Dubs are rattled.
Meath 0-9 Dublin 1-4: 35 mins –Newman booms over a long free from about 50 metres and now it’s Meath who lead by two as we approach half-time. Ciaran Kilkenny kicks a wide for Dublin from out on the right.
Well, that certainly didn’t go according to Dublin’s script — or the bookmakers’.
The first half has been scrappy enough and Meath are denying the Dubs clear-cut chances while taking every chance that has come their own way. Four Michael Newman frees have helped their cause as well — his kicking has been superb.
Dublin have it all to do after the break.
Scorers for Meath: M Newman 0-5 (4f), S Bray, E Wallace all 0-2.
Scorers for Dublin: P Flynn 1-0, P Mannion 0-2 (1f), D Connolly, S Cluxton (1 45’) all 0-1
Meath 0-9 Dublin 1-6: 36 mins — What a start by Dublin. They race out of the traps to level it up with two quick points: a Kilkenny score from play followed by a Brogan free.
Dublin 1-7 Meath 0-9: 37 mins — And now it’s Dublin who lead again, a beaut of a point from Paul Flynn. What did Jim Gavin say at the break?
Dublin 1-7 Meath 0-10: 39 mins — Newman faces his first free into Hill 16 but it’s little more than a chip shot and no problem for him, despite the best efforts of the Dublin fans behind Cluxton’s goal.
Dublin 1-9 Meath 0-10: 41 mins — More like it from Dublin as Ciaran Kilkenny kicks two points in the space of a minute. Mannion and Brogan considered a route to goal for the second one but they were crowded out and Kilkenny took his point.
Dublin 1-9 Meath 0-12: 43 mins — End to end stuff here, you can’t take your eyes off it. Brian Meade kicks a point and then Newman follows up with another, selling Macauley a lovely dummy before scoring. All square again.
Dublin 1-10 Meath 0-12: 45 mins — A bit of a schemozzle after Dublin win a free around the Meath 45 line. Graham Reilly and Paul Flynn are both booked and when the dust settles, Cluxton puts Dublin back in front.
48 mins — Great goal chance for Meath but Eamonn Wallace tries to outwit Stephen Cluxton with a lob. The Dublin keeper shows his experience and stays tall to save.
Dublin 1-11 Meath 0-12: 49 mins — Paul Mannion points a free. Dublin lead by two.
Dublin 1-13 Meath 0-13: 57 mins — Michael Newman points from play but it’s immediately cancelled out by a Cluxton free from the 45. Three points in it with just over 10 minutes to play.
Dublin 2-13 Meath 0-13: 60 mins — GOAL FOR DUBLIN! That could be that. O’Rourke saves Kevin O’Brien’s shot by Mannion is on hand to follow up and fire into an empty net.
Dublin 2-14 Meath 0-13: 62 mins — Substitute Dean Rock points. Dublin’s lead is now seven.
66 min — Cluxton sends a free wide as a tiny bit of the fizzle goes out of this one. Barring a Meath miracle, Dublin will be lifting their eighth provincial title of the last nine years in a few short minutes.
Dublin 2-15 Meath 0-14: 69 mins — A Joe Sheridan point for Meath but it’s too little too late.
71 mins — Dublin keep possession as the clock ticks into added time and a chorus of Olé rings out from Hill 16 with every touch.
So once again it’s Stephen Cluxton who lifts the Delaney Cup as Dublin continue their remarkable run of provincial dominance. Trailing by two at the break, they outscored Meath by 1-11 to 0-5 in a ferocious second half. Paul Mannion gets the man of the match nod from here, finishing on a total of 1-4 for the Dubs.
Scorers for Dublin: P Mannion 1-4 (2f), P Flynn 1-1, C Kilkenny, S Cluxton (2f, 1 45’) all 0-3, D Rock 0-2 (1f), D Connolly, B Brogan all 0-1.
Scorers for Meath: M Newman 0-8 (6f), E Wallace, S Bray all 0-2, B Meade, J Sheridan all 0-1.
That’s it from Croke Park for this afternoon but the fun is only just getting started down in Limerick — join Fintan O’Toole for live coverage of Cork v Limerick in the Munster SHC final here >
Thanks for reading.
Someone call Trap and get Mannion on the Ireland team.
Dubs to win by 8 points
Not far off dude.
Yeah, should have scored that last point, would have won some dosh!
Up the Dubs!
Shame to see so many empty seats in Croke Park. Sure sign of the resession.
Another twitter account set up to troll the hallowed comments section.
Where are you from, if you’re not afraid to say?
Dublin
In that case you’re a bigger fool than I first thought.
Why is that ?
We’re all in Merrion Square. More entertaining!
Just shy of 60,000 people, Not a bad crowd for what a lot of people expected to be a one sided final and also considering the hurlers played in the Leinster final last Sunday. 10,000 More then the Aviva can hold.
Dubs by 15. Mannion to run riot.
Jesus tv3 commentry is hard to listen to. Has anyone else heard the saying “dublin are opening up there shoulders”. Maby somebody could educated me…….
Great match in the end. COYBIB
Credit to meath so far deserved the lead, hope for dub fire power to come. Dublin v meath games never predictable. No walk overs here.
Draw match…….u heard it here first!
All those meath wides in first half told. But just proves Dublin can b opened up. Com on the qualifiers
Come you boys in blue. To win by 2 pts
At some stage the journal has confiscated a goal from dublins score and added it to meats score above.. What’s the real score!!??
I’d say the dubs will win by 10 points at least
Meath on fire
Maybe not but they put it up to dublin until the last 20
Watch out for the Clampers they will be out in force. And up the Dubs.
I hope they take lumps out of each other,like the old days
Dubs are choking.
Care to repeat that statement
Ok maybe not
Still too many wides though. They won’t get away with that against better opposition
And midfield was woeful for the most part, came good in the end when meath got tired though
So is Linda Love lace!
Ahhhh you just cannot beat a meath v dublin match.
Forwards have been very wasteful so far. 15mins.
Kerry will be delighted with this an average Meath forward line has opened up the Dubs defence rather easy enough with out scoring Gouch and go will rip em apart.
Red thumb away but if Dubs play like that against kerry in the semi final kerry will punish them.Dubs vg going forward but around the middle and full back line look very poor and kerry know they always have the upper hand on Dublin.
When Dublin won the All Ireland is 2011 they crawled past Kildare by a point and only beat Wexford by three or four. Don’t write them off yet, plenty of football to be played yet!
Whos writing them off? very talented bunch but all im saying they will have to look at midfield and tighten up at the back in order to beat kerry if they ignore it they will be beaten.
Great game – go on the royals :-)
Well holy god !! The thumb scam again.
Lmfm has great coverage
To everyone at home with Sky Sorts turn on cricket, 402.
Sports, sorry.
Empty seats, all the band wagon merchants waiting for later matches or is bog ball not as popular any more ?
you may not have noticed, but there is a recession and tickets were 30 euro a pop for the stands, attendance is excellent considering all
Nothing to do with the band wagon merchants who will have no problem paying double that for an all Ireland ticket, and I’m sure the pubs are packed with people spending more than €30 on drink watching the game so it’s not the price of a ticket putting them off, maybe their just not really supporters of the game more interested in the session and then when it gets to the latter stages the same sort of people who like to be able to say ” I’m going to the all Ireland final sure aren’t I great”
Well let’s make it so that in future only you go to all the games, just you, nobody else because you’re the greatest fan and so only you deserve to be there.
Grand so. Problem sorted then.
I never have and never will go to a bog ball game
Enough with your childish trolling, it’s pathetic and sad.
No you are
60,000 there is a very respectable turn out for a final that many people expected to be a one sided game. That’s 10,000 more people then the Aviva can hold by the way. So sorry to break it to you but football is as popular as ever.
Shame you don’t enjoy it, you are missing great drama every year. However it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, i can accept that but do you have to be so unpleasant about stating your preference? Frankly It doesn’t reflect well on you as a person to be so narrow minded/blinkered/bolshy. Why bother posting on a Gaelic football thread of you don’t like the sport?
Never said I liked football either
Check out cricket on Sky Sports 402, now!
Aussie won??
GAA Dublin vs Meath Live
http://tensportszone.com/?p=3299