Round-up: Dalata Hotel Group Leinster U20 Championship action
John Harkin of Meath on the ball. Photo by Seb Daly/Sportsfile
Dalata Hotel Group Leinster U20 Football Championship
Group 1
Dublin 1-18 Wexford 1-15
Group 2
Meath 5-19 2-9 Carlow
Longford 2-17 Laois 1-15
Group 3
Kildare 3-16 Wicklow 0-7
By Paul Keane
It's a rare talent that makes it onto a county U-20 team three seasons in a row but John Harkin fits the bill in Meath.
Introduced as a sub in Meath's breakthrough provincial final win over Louth in 2024, Harkin started the 2025 final defeat to the Wee County and is back again to cash in on all that experience in 2026.
The number 11 toyed with Carlow at times this evening, scoring 2-5 in total and contributing to a huge Round 1 for the Royal County at Netwatch Cullen Park.
A strong Meath side opened up a 14-point lead after just 20 minutes, 2-10 to 0-2, and only briefly struggled approaching half time when they conceded two goals.
Captain Daniel Bolger and Jake Nolan struck those two majors for host Carlow who still trailed 2-11 to 2-4 at half time.
Nolan went on to finish with 1-4 for Carlow and looked a classy operator just days after making his National Hurling League debut for Carlow on the same pitch.
Harkin registered his second Meath goal after the restart and sub Adam Ducie raised two more green flags late on.
There was a cameo too from Dunsany talent Stephen Cahill, the son of former Nemo Rangers All-Ireland club winner Kevin Cahill, who hit four points from play.
Cian Commons, another retained from last year's U-20 group, finished with 1-3 and will warn his team-mates of a greater test against Laois at home on April 1.
In the other Group 2 game, Longford scored a battling five-point win over Laois thanks in part to first-half goals from Mark Cooney and Luke Donnelly.
Holders Louth were scheduled to play Westmeath but the Group 2 tie has been pushed back to Friday evening in Mullingar.
Dublin had to come from three points down at half time to beat Wexford by three at Chadwicks Wexford Park.
Cathal Kehoe's early goal and two-pointers from Brian Ivers and Darragh Shannon left Wexford 1-10 to 0-10 up at the break.
Dublin drew level at 1-12 apiece when Luke O'Boyle netted in the 45th minute and they eventually regained the lead in the 55th minute, holding on for a gutsy Group 1 win.
Kildare cruised to a big win over Wicklow in the only game in the three-team Group 3.
Athy's county SFC title winning duo of Colm Moran and Ronan Kelly provided the early inspiration and Kelly netted close to half time to leave the Lilies 1-10 to 0-4 up at the interval.
Kelly added a second goal in the 47th minute and Jimmy Lynch drilled a third in stoppage time.
