Late goal ensures Offaly make minor provincial championship progress
Offaly ...............4-11
Meath ...............2-14
A late goal from Offaly substitute Paddy Burns proved decisive as the Faithful County defeated Meath to secure a place in the semi-final of this year's Leinster minor football championship.
A resilient display over the duration of this quarter final contest ensured Offaly achieved a merited three point victory, the team's physicality most notable as they dominated the game for large spells.
Opening half goals from Ruairi Woods and Charlie Duffy had the victors in the ascendancy by three points at the interval and when the latter scored his second goal of the contest midway through the second half to put Offaly six points clear it appeared the result was evident.
Meath rallied to restore parity to the contest on 54 minutes and with momentum very much in their favour it seemed that Offaly had missed their opportunity for victory.
However, the late green flag from Burns proved to be the match winning score and Offaly now advance to a semi-final meeting with Kildare, a game which will be played in Glenisk O'Connor Park Tullamore on Wednesday, May 7.
Offaly – Jack Ryan (0-2 two-point free); Caden O’Beirne, Tomas Carroll, Cormac Farrell; Patrick Duffy, Tadhg Kelly, Cathal Weldon; Eamon Maher (0-1), Eoin Rouse (0-1); Aaron Daly (0-1), Dylan Dunne, Charlie Duffy (2-1); Tony Furey, Cian McNamee (0-3 one free), Ruairi Woods (1-2 one two-pointer). Subs - Paddy Burns (1-0) for Furey 44m, Darragh Stewart for Weldon 51m, Stephen Byrne for C Duffy 59m, Cian Duffy for Dunne 60m.
Meath – Charlie Finnegan; Charlie O’Connor, Conall O’Sullivan, Glen Callaghan; Tadhg Foley (0-1), Eoghan McBrearty, Niall Lawless; Declan Byrne, Charlie Gallagher (0-2 one two-pointer); Will Byrne (0-1), Cillian Murphy (0-1), Robert Johnson; Cormac Murray (1-1), Stephen Cahill (1-2), Nathan Reilly (0-3 frees). Subs – Sean Delaney (0-2 two-pointer) for Johnson 38m, Adam McEvoy (0-1) for Reilly 44m, Lewis Ryan for Foley 46m, Jeff Foley for Byrne 51m.
Referee - Enda Kenny (Westmeath).