Gaelic Games

Leinster U20 football: Dublin overcome sluggish start to reach 10th consecutive final

Dubs to face Kildare next Tuesday in final after dispatching Meath

Dublin's Luke Ward against Meath. Photograph: Ben Brady/Inpho
Dublin's Luke Ward against Meath. Photograph: Ben Brady/Inpho
Paul Keane
Tue Apr 18 2023 - 21:30

EirGrid Leinster U-20 Football Championship semi-final report from Pairc Tailteann, Navan

Dublin 0-14 Meath 0-10

Ross Keogh’s five-point haul in Navan helped propel Dublin to a 10th consecutive Leinster U-20 FC final.

Jim Lehane’s side overcame a sluggish start to lead by two at half-time and they doubled that advantage by full-time with a commanding second-half display.

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Meath were back to back Leinster minor winners in 2020 and 2021, beating Dublin in the 2021 final, though the Sky Blues, were deserved winners at the upper grade.

Their reward is a provincial final clash with Kildare at Netwatch Cullen Park next Tuesday evening.

Holders Kildare were convincing 1-20 to 0-9 semi-final winners against Laois and will aim for back to back decider wins against Dublin.

Eoin Cully struck 1-6 for Kildare who outscored Laois by 1-8 to 0-1 in the closing 20 minutes or so to win at their ease.

Ryan Sinkey, Shane Farrell and Adam Fanning weighed in with three points apiece as the Lilies built on a 0-9 to 0-4 half-time lead to win by an impressive 14 points.

It wasn’t near as straightforward for Dublin who belatedly got it going late in the first-half to lead by 0-8 to 0-6 at the break.

Captain Eoghan Frayne had struck three early Meath points but they faded out after a bright first 20 minutes.

Keogh struck three Dublin points in the third quarter to stretch their lead and sub Seamus Smith curled over a fine point too.

The only downside on the evening for Dublin were the injuries picked up by key attacker Luke Breathnach, who played for the Dublin seniors in the O’Byrne Cup, and defender Eoghan O’Connor Flanagan.

Both players were lifted off with apparent leg injuries. Meath weren’t able to capitalise and the goal they needed never arrived with Frayne and substitute Hughie Corcoran both denied late on.

Dublin sealed it with four points in a row by Keogh, Smith and Ethan Dunne between the 41st and 52nd minutes.

Dublin: A Smyth; E Nugent, T Clancy, E O’Connor Flanagan; D McGrath, D O’Leary, A Gavin; E Dunne (0-1), G McEneaney; C Dolan (0-2), L Ward, T Brennan; R Keogh (0-5, 4f), L Breathnach (0-1), D Dempsey (0-1, 1f).

Subs: J Quigley (0-3, 2f) for Breathnach 17, M McDonald for Brennan h/t, S Smith (0-1) for O’Connor Flanagan 39, B Costello for Quigley 60.

Meath: B Hogan; L Kelly, B O’Halloran, J Finnerty; K Smyth, B O’Reilly, J O’Regan; J Kinlough (0-1), C Gray (0-1); L Stafford, S Leonard (0-1), C Caulfield; E Frayne (0-5, 4f, 1m), O Keogh, A Bowden.

Subs: R Kinsella for Leonard 38, C Smith (0-1) for Stafford 48, H Corcoran (0-1) for Kinsella 54, C Ennis for Bowden (54.

Referee: D Hickey (Carlow).