Meath scored more in one half against Dublin than entirety of previous nine meetings

Stellar first half sinks the Dubs

By 4.35pm yesterday, WhatsApp groups around the country were aflame as wind-assisted Meath, improbably, led by 12 at the break and were being quoted at a shade of odds-on to beat Dublin.

That opening half won it for Meath. Their 0-17 first-half tally bettered anything they had managed in 70 minutes against the Dubs in the nine meetings since their last championship victory, bar 2022, when they kicked 1-14 in total.

It was also the first time since 2013 (0-9 to 1-4) that the Royals were in front at the break. And on only one other occasion since the nine-match losing run started had Dublin’s tally been under double figures at half-time – that was in 2019, when they led 0-5 to 0-1 and went on to win 1-17 to 0-4.

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The twos win it for Louth

One perhaps simplistic reading of yesterday’s Leinster SFC semi-final clash between Kildare and Louth is that, with apologies to tabloid editor Kelvin McKenzie back in the day, it was the twos wot won it.

Louth kicked three two-pointers in the match; Kildare managed none. That has been a trend all year for the Lilywhites and is something of a head-scratcher given that they have been a fairly free-scoring outfit all season, averaging 22.4 points per game across their 10 competitive matches in 2025.

Their “points for” total in the group stage of Division 3 of the National League was 162, which averages out at 23.1 points per game and saw them finish as the joint-third highest scorers in all four divisions (tied with Westmeath and Meath and behind Kerry and Monaghan).

Sam Mulroy of Louth in action. Photograph: James Lawlor/Inpho

But, strangely, they haven’t embraced the new two-point rule in short grass country, landing just 14 in 10 matches, 10 of those coming from play. To put that in context, Louth captain Sam Mulroy’s two two-pointers yesterday brought his individual tally for orange flags to 14 in just seven matches under the new rules.

Interestingly, according to Twitter account @TheNumbersGael, collated by journalist John Hughes, Monaghan’s Rory Beggan and Down’s Pat Havern (who scored two of them yesterday against Donegal) lead the way with a whopping 17 two-pointers each, followed by Galway’s Shane Walsh on 15 and Westmeath’s Luke Loughlin on 14.

Return to nail-biters of old for northern rivals

“Typical of these two teams here,” GAA+ analyst Ronan McNamee stated during Tyrone versus Armagh, “especially these sides, to go down to the wire.”

In fairness to the former Red Hand full back, that was certainly the case back in the early noughties, when the pair were arguably the best two sides in the country. From 2002 to 2005 inclusive, they met seven times in league and championship; two of the matches were draws, one (the 2005 All-Ireland semi-final) was decided by the minimum and the other four saw never more than three points between.

Tyrone's Brian Kennedy with Armagh's Ben Crealey. Photograph: John McVitty/Inpho

The trend of close matches mostly continued for the following decade but after a draw in the 2016 National league, subsequent matches have tended to be more one-sided.

Tyrone won by 3-17 to 0-8 in the 2017 All-Ireland quarter-final, by five in their next meeting (2021) before two six-point games in league and championship in 2022, Armagh winning both. Okay, the two head-to-heads in 2023 were two-point games but Armagh won by eight when they met in the league earlier this year.

Maybe close matches, like Saturday’s, between the friendly neighbours is a harbinger of further good times for both.

Down looking up – sort of

Down hurlers’ promotion to Division 1B was one of the feelgood stories of the spring. Under impressive manager Ronan Sheehan, a staunch advocate for the game, the Mourne men topped Division 2, beating Kildare, Donegal, Tyrone, Kerry and Westmeath.

They went on to repeat the victory over the Lilywhites in the final to secure their places in 1B, where they will rub shoulders with the likes of Clare and Wexford next year.

However, the championship has been a rude awakening. Thrown in with three of the sides they beat in the league, Down were unfortunate to draw big guns Carlow and Laois in the opening two rounds and fell to 21 and 39-point reversals respectively.

Considering Down beat Tyrone by 9-26 to 0-13 earlier this year, it may be the first time an adult intercounty team has both won and lost matches by over 35 points in the same season.

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“I see Gordon Elliott down there in the terrace, he’s jumping up and down.”

Game recognises game as thoroughbred Marc Ó Sé, on co-comms, spots the master of Cullentra leaping a hurdle or two in the closing stages at O’Moore Park.