Meath ... 1-8 Galway ... 1-7: An injury-time goal from full forward Michael Meehan came too late for a fancied Galway side who went down by the narrowest of margins to Meath in this All-Ireland minor football quarter-final at Roscommon on Saturday evening.
Meehan's goal was in fact Galway's first score since the same player put them 0-7 to 0-6 early in the second half - but Meath, led brilliantly by man-of-the-match Francis Murphy, gained control through a well taken goal from substitute Mark Whearty. Further points from Brian Farrell and Joseph Sheridan added to their stranglehold.
Meath, indeed, were deserving winners despite having shot a total of 14 wides to Galway's six, as well as being reduced to 14 men for the final 12 minutes when star corner forward Brian Farrell was sent off for a second bookable offence.
MEATH: M Brennan; C King, B O'Reilly, D O'Halloran; R Brennan, T O'COnnor, E Dunne; J Melia, P Murray; G McCullough (0-1), F Murphy, B Regan (0-1), D Murtagh, J Sheridan (0-2, one from free), B Farrell (0-4), Subs: J O'Connor for M Brennan, M Whearty (1-0), for Murray. S Stephens for R Brennan, T Farrelly for Regan.
GALWAY: M Killilea: C McGrath, A Burke, G Rice; D Kilkelly, P Moran, E Barrett; B Cullinane, N Coleman (0-1); D Dunleavy, C De Paor (0-2), A Callanan (0-1). J Donoghue, M Meehan (1-3, two from frees), G Clancy. Subs: P Costelloe, for Kilkenny. M Geraghty for Donoghue, F McCann for Callanan.
Referee. J Geaney (Cork)
