Leinster SFC Quarter-final/Wexford 1-19 Meath 1-13: Rarely does a team produce such strength both in defence and in attack as Wexford contrived in this Leinster quarter-final at Croke Park yesterday
More specifically, rarely do individuals of the talent of Wexford's goalkeeper John Cooper and punishing forward Matty Forde inflict such frustration for the opposition attack and razor-sharp finishing to torment their defence over the 70 minutes.
Forde started at full forward but roamed all over the pitch to score 12 points, nine from play.
Cooper, often cat-like, snuffed out five of Meath's six goal chances with top-drawer saves.
Wexford manager Paul Bealin, a former Dublin midfielder, was highly impressed by Cooper's stunning display that denied Joe Sheridan and Daithí Regan, especially.
Former Meath legend Mattie Kerrigan was also complimentary: "I give him 10 out of 10," said Kerrigan leaving the ground along with many despondent Royal followers.
Meath's troubles began in real earnest in the 27th minute when Mayo referee Vincent Neary sent left half forward Peadar Byrne off with a straight red card after Rory Stafford was dumped.
Forde was deadly off either foot. Among his best efforts was a huge point from a sideline ball 30 yards down the line on the left.
The roving full forward floated the ball with spectacular ease all the way over the bar at the railway end.
Weaknesses obviously borne of frustration crept into Meath's performance. Their manager Eamon Barry could not disguise his disappointment. "We got three chances for goals during the first 15 minutes; we could have been seven or eight points in front after the first quarter."
Barry added: "This has been the story with us all year. We are good at creating chances but are not capable of taking them as other teams are."
Barry was full of praise for Forde: "We all know Matty, he is a class player and that is why he is picked for Ireland.
"Every one dreams of having players like Matty. Unfortunately, we don't have them at the moment."
About the sending-off, Barry said. "It's very difficult to play a man short in the present day hand-passing and running game. A player does not do it on purpose. It just happens on the spur of the moment."
Wexford's confidence grew in the 17th minute when they had their goal from Paddy Colfer.
This gave them a 1-4 to 0-3 advantage and they never let up from then. Wexford were ahead 1-8 to 0-6 at half-time and were in front by 1-19 to 0-11 in the 69th minute when Anthony Moyles, who had replaced Nigel Crawford, hit a late goal.
This was followed by injury-time points by Regan and Moyles.
WEXFORD: J Cooper; C Morris, P Wallace, N Murphy; P Curtis (0-1), D Murphy, G Molloy; R Stafford, D Kinsella (0-1); C Deely (0-3), P Colfer (1-0), R Barry; L Murphy (0-1), PJ Banville, M Ford (0-12, two frees, one line-ball). Subs: T Howlin (0-1) for G Molloy; D Foley for Deely; E Brady for P Colfer.
MEATH: B Murphy; N McLoughlin (0-1), K Reilly, N McKeighue; T O'Connor, C King, S Kenny; N Crawford, M Ward; P Curran, G Geraghty (0-1), P Byrne; D Regan (0-6, two frees), J Sheridan (0-3), B Farrell (0-1, free). Subs: A Moyles (1-1) for Crawford; R Magee for Sheridan; N Kelly for Curran; M Doran for Farrell; B Lynch for Ward,
Referee: V Neary (Mayo)
