Electric Ireland Leinster MFC Quarter-Finals

OFFALY 2-9 WICKLOW 0-9

KILDARE 2-16 LOUTH 1-7

LAOIS 2-14 CARLOW 0-5

MEATH 3-11 WESTMEATH 0-7

Electric Ireland Connacht MFC Quarter-Final

GALWAY 2-17 LEITRIM 0-12

Electric Ireland Munster MFC Quarter-Final

LIMERICK 2-12 WATERFORD 1-5

Meath’s minor footballers followed up on their sensational win over Dublin in October with another hugely impressive performance in a second successive local derby clash this afternoon, as they accounted for Westmeath by 3-11 to 0-7 at Páirc Tailteann in Navan.

It took a while for the Royals to hit the high notes, and only Aaron Murphy’s goal after nine minutes separated the sides at half time, 1-5 to 0-5. There was a marked improvement in their tempo and attacking play after half time however, as points from John McDonagh, Eoghan Frayne and Ruairi Kinsella pushed the gap out to double scores, 1-9 to 0-6. Senan Baker, son of former Clare hurler Ollie Baker, stemmed the tide briefly with a fine score, but late goals from McDonagh and Kinsella pushed the gap out to 13 by the final whistle.

Meath will play Laois in the semi-final next weekend, another county who had plenty to spare in a home local derby. Conor Heffernan and Colin Dunne both found the net for the O’Moore County inside the opening 12 minutes and in truth Carlow were never in contention after that, trailing by 2-8 to 0-2 at half time en route to a 2-14 to 0-5 result. Dunne went on to rack up 1-6 for the winners, while Carlow could only muster up two frees from Bryan McMahon and a Ronan Quinlan mark after half time.

The other Leinster semi-final will see Kildare take on Offaly, after those counties accounted for Louth and Wicklow respectively.

Darragh Sloane and Fionn Ó Giolláin were the goalscorers for Kildare in Newbridge in their 2-16 to 1-7 victory over the Wee County, while the most competitive fixture of the afternoon in the eastern province was in Tullamore, where Cormac Egan’s late goal was enough to see Offaly over the line by 2-9 to 0-9 against Wicklow.

Alex Egan found the net just before half time to make it 1-4 to 0-4 at the break, but Eoin Doyle was carrying the fight to the midlanders with a series of scores. A black card meant that Wicklow were down to 14 for a good chunk of the second half, but by the 55th minute they were back up to their full complement and still only behind by a point, when 1-1 from Cormac Egan and a fourth point of the day from the excellent Jamie Guing completed the scoring.

In Munster, Limerick produced a very efficient attacking display that easily accounted for Waterford at the Gaelic Grounds, 2-12 to 1-5 the final score at the Ennis Road venue. Joe Lee’s side had eight different scorers and shot just five wides in the hour, while a David O’Shaughnessy penalty and James Killian palmed goal raised their green flags. Limerick will now play the winner of this evening’s clash between Clare and Tipperary on Wednesday night.

Meanwhile in Connacht, a powerful Galway finish meant that they eventually shook off a very impressive Leitrim side at the Connacht Centre of Excellence in Ballyhaunis. Cillian O’Curraoín found the net as Galway moved 1-6 to 0-4 clear after 25 minutes, but points from Jack Casey, Oisín Curley and Shane Smith pulled Leitrim back to within a single point, despite playing for ten minutes with a man in the sin bin.

Conall Gallagher, who ended the afternoon with five points, picked off some crucial scores in reply and then with stoppage time approaching, David Prendergast beat two defenders and squared the ball across for O’Curraoín to fist in his second goal.

It finished 2-17 to 0-12 to Galway, who will play Roscommon at the same venue in the Connacht semi-final this coming Friday night.