All-Ireland SFC: Meath pull off dramatic win over Galway

​All-Ireland SFC Quarter-Final

Meath 2-16 (2-0-16) Galway 2-15 (2-2-11)

By Paul Keane at Croke Park

Meath are officially the 2025 Championship's dark horses - and they still haven't run out of track.

A spectacular Jordan Morris performance, which yielded 1-6 from play, helped propel the Royal County to yet another unexpected win over Division 1 opposition.

With victories over Dublin and Kerry already behind them this season, Robbie Brennan's crew pulled off their biggest victory yet to lock down a first semi-final since 2009.

Man of the Match Morris was a class apart and came good when it really counted down the home stretch as the Leinster finalists turned the screw.

Meath supporters must have wondered if the game had slipped away from them when Galway turned a six-point deficit into a three-point lead with 56th and 60th minute goals from Cillian McDaid and Liam Silke.

But in a dramatic finale that left 2024 All-Ireland runners-up Galway speechless, Meath came again with a flurry of late scores to win it.

Morris picked off 1-2 in the closing eight minutes and his expertly taken 62nd minute goal put Meath into a lead that they held onto.

Meath had heroes all over the field with Matthew Costello scoring a crucial four points while substitute Conor Gray netted after coming on and proved a stabilising influence late on. Sean Rafferty locked down a superb defensive effort.

But it's the end of the line for Connacht champions Galway whose bid to go one step further than their 2022 and 2024 final appearances went up in smoke.

It was a first Championship meeting between the teams since 2011 and with so much on the line, a feeling-out period was perhaps to be expected.

The first score didn't arrive until the eighth minute, when Peter Cooke tapped down to Shane Walsh, who overcame a shoulder injury to play, to convert.

And it was still 0-2 apiece with 20 minutes on the clock with both sides guilty of basic errors and sloppy handling.

Costello was returned to the Meath lineup after missing the Kerry game with a hamstring injury and the Dunshaughlin attacker spilled a routine catch in a dangerous position, gifting possession away.

Costello was a late addition to the Meath team, for Cathal Hickey. Cooke, goalkeeper Connor Gleeson and Jack Glynn came into the Galway lineup as late changes.

Morris, tracked initially by Glynn, struck three early wides for the Royals while Conor Duke dropped another point attempt short.

Later in the half, Ciaran Caulfield sloppily kicked a free straight out of play as Seamus Lavin wasn't able to stride forward to collect it due to the 4/3 rule.

Meath were more direct when they had the ball while Galway regularly slowed the play down, waiting for the opportunity to arise at the Hill 16 End before pouncing.

The westerners utilised the back-door cut to their advantage on several occasions, like when Matthew Tierney fisted over in the 29th minute.

Dylan McHugh carved open the Meath full-back line with a similar move in the 19th minute but goalkeeper Billy Hogan did enough to avert the danger on that occasion.

A few moments of excellence nudge Meath into a 0-6 to 0-4 lead at the half hour mark.

Like when Morris turned on the afterburners and left Johnny McGrath in his wake for a 23rd minute score.

Or when veteran defender Donal Keogan got in an advanced position, spun off his man and curled a point over.

Galway closed out the half with points from Tierney, Sean Kelly and John Maher to take a narrow 0-7 to 0-6 half-time lead.

They had momentum on their side and, significantly, the wind after the break too, though it was Meath that restarted the brighter.

Costello chipped a free over after Duke was fouled and twice the Leinster finalists broke away for scoring opportunities after turnovers in the Galway attack.

Those two chances came to nought for Meath but Costello added another from play to push them ahead again, 0-8 to 0-7.

It got better and better for Meath throughout the third quarter, culminating with a 1-12 to 0-9 lead after 54 minutes.

Costello and Morris tagged on points in that period before Meath won another turnover and Coffey worked a kick-pass to Gray who almost lost possession before bundling a goal.

But just as Meath dared to dream, Galway reeled off 2-03 without response to turn the game decisively.

The McDaid and Silke goals were expertly taken and Shane Walsh drilled over a two-point free as Galway surged 2-12 to 1-12 ahead.

It looked like Meath's brave bid for All-Ireland honours was finally over but they produced a strong kick at the end of a fascinating last lap.

Scorers for Meath: Jordan Morris 1-6, Mathew Costello 0-4 (1f), Conor Gray 1-0, Sean Coffey 0-1, Bryan Menton 0-1, Ruairi Kinsella 0-1, Donal Keogan 0-1, Eoghan Frayne 0-1, Cathal Hickey 0-1.

Scorers for Galway: Shane Walsh 0-5 (1 tpf, 1 tp), Cillian McDaid 1-0, Liam Silke 1-0, Rob Finnerty 0-3 (2fs), Matthew Thompson 0-2, Matthew Tierney 0-2, Sean Kelly 0-1, John Maher 0-1, Damien Comer 0-1.

Meath: Billy Hogan; Seamus Lavin, Sean Rafferty, Ronan Ryan; Donal Keogan, Sean Coffey, Ciaran Caulfield; Bryan Menton, Adam O'Neill; Conor Duke, Ruairi Kinsella, Mathew Costello; Jordan Morris, Keith Curtis, Eoghan Frayne.

Subs: Cathal Hickey for Curtis 42, Brian O'Halloran for Lavin 46-49, blood, Conor Gray for O'Neill 46, Brian O'Halloran for Rafferty 55, Rafferty for Lavin 61, Eoin Harkin for Duke 64-f/t blood, Cian McBride for Menton 68.

Galway: Connor Gleeson; Sean Fitzgerald, Johnny McGrath, Jack Glynn; Dylan McHugh, Liam Silke, Cian Hernon; Peter Cooke, John Maher; Cein Darcy, Matthew Tierney, Sean Kelly; Rob Finnerty, Shane Walsh, Matthew Thompson.

Subs: Paul Conroy for Hernon 42, Cillian McDaid for Cooke 44, Daniel O'Flaherty for McHugh 51, Damien Comer for Tierney 51, Kieran Molloy for Kelly 64.

Referee: Martin McNally (Monaghan).