Dublin hang on to claim 51st Leinster title

Leinster GAA Football Senior Championship Final: Meath 1-13 Dublin 2-13

Dublin claimed their seventh Leinster GAA Football Championship title in eight years, and their 51st in total, with a deserved victory over great rivals Meath at Croke Park on Sunday.

But the reigning provincial and All-Ireland champions made very heavy work of it. Having led by nine points with just over ten minutes left of what had been a one-sided game to that point, they were made to endure a nerve-jangling final few minutes as Meath staged a stirring and unexpected comeback.

Dublin dominated the first half and went into the break 2-7 to 0-5 ahead after hitting the Royals for two goals in added time from Bernard Brogan and Denis Bastick.

They were in cruise control for much of the second half, as Meath missed a series of chances and kicked some inexcusable wides, and led by 2-12 to 0-9 on the hour mark, before the Royals came with a surge in the closing stages.

Graham Reilly was guiltier than most of his Meath team-mates of wastefulness but he kicked two crucial late scores while Brian Farrell kept chipping away at the Dublin lead from placed balls.

Only when substitute Jamie Queeney drove home a goal in the 68th minute to cut the gap to three points did the Meath crowd come to life and truly believe that Dublin were there for the taking.

Bernard Brogan, who had an off day against Wexford in the semi-final, quickly punctured Meath's hopes with an instant reply to bring his total for the day to 1-7, and yet Séamus McEnaney's side still had chances in a frantic final few minutes to salvage something from the game.

As expected, Michael Darragh Macauley didn't start in the inside forward line but he did occupy a novel role in the half-forward line and a mountain of ball went through him in the first half.

Meath midfielders Conor Gillespie and Brian Meade took turns at dropping back to provide an extra screen in front of the full-back line. Gillespie, especially, had some success in mopping up loose ball in the opening stages, but the move robbed the Royals of an extra body in midfield, where they had enjoyed so much success in the semi-final win over Kildare.

Dublin's two-man inside forward line of Bernard Brogan and Kevin McManamon was causing all sorts of problems in the opening ten minutes, with Brogan giving Meath full-back Kevin Reilly the run-around, hitting a lovely score from play in the eighth minute as well as two frees to add to McManamon's effort.

Meath had opened the scoring through Graham Reilly, who combined with Gillespie before dropping over a well-taken score.

However, that was as much success as they had in the opening quarter, as Dublin completely dominated in midfield, with Alan Brogan and Bernard Brogan (free) adding further scores leaving the Dubs 0-6 to 0-1 ahead after just 15 minutes. Meath's attacking forays were easily broken up time and again by the Dublin half-back line, the point from which the All-Ireland champions are masters at counter-attacking from.

The supporters on Hill 16 celebrated those early moments jubilantly, but they were given a sharp reminder of Meath's attacking threat when Farrell sorted his early nerves to drop over a free, and then Stephen Bray hit one of the scores of the game following a fluid move involving the increasingly isolated Joe Sheridan.

Meath goalkeeper David Gallagher, keenly aware that his side were being swamped in midfield, began hitting his kick-outs much shorter and McEnaney's side suddenly gained a toehold in the game, especially after Farrell sent over his second free to reduce the gap to 0-6 to 0-4 on 24 minutes.

Crucially, though, Meath lost the momentum as soon as they had wrestled it back. Kevin Reilly was forced off with an injury, while Graham Reilly and Sheridan both hit demoralising wides from straightforward scoring positions.

Alan Brogan dropped over a second point from play before he was forced off with a leg injury and was replaced by Eoghan O'Gara in the Dublin attack. O'Gara made an immediate impact, driving at the heart of the Meath defence and creating the space for Bernard Brogan with a sweet kick pass. Brogan slipped the ball under Gallagher and Dublin had the precious first goal in first half added time.

They plundered a second a minute later. Meath fell asleep in midfield and Bastick was left wide open. When he was found with another superb kick pass, the Templeogue man drilled a shot into the Hill end goal, and drove a dagger into Meath hearts. The half-time whistle went before anyone had time to draw breath. The scoreboard read 2-7 to 0-5.

Farrell gave Meath the perfect start to the second half with a settling point, but Bernard Brogan scrubbed it off the scoreboard a minute later when he beat Bryan Menton and flashed a shot over the bar.

Meath then missed a golden opportunity to force their way back into the game, when Farrell found space and drove a low shot at Stephen Cluxton, but the Dublin goalkeeper deflected the ball out for a 45, which Sheridan converted.

Dublin should have killed Meath off in the 45th minute, but the post saved the Royals. Bryan Cullen broke at pace and played the influential Macauley in on goal, but his shot skewed off his foot and pinged off the post.

Dublin underlined their dominance with three scores on the spin, Bernard Brogan adding to an increasingly impressive tally while O'Gara and James McCarthy jotted their names into the scoresheet.

Meath persevered, with Farrell picking off scores from frees and Donncha Tobin reducing the gap with a fine score from play, but the Royals' frustrating day was just about summed up when Sheridan thrashed wildly at an attempt at goal, his drop-kicked effort shanking hopelessly wide.

Farrell cut the gap to two goals, 2-12 to 0-12, with five minutes remaining, and Dublin were made to endure an agonising last few minutes when substitute Jamie Queeney lashed a shot to the back of Cluxton's net on 68 minutes.

Bernard Brogan hit back with a point immediately, bringing his total for the day to an impressive 1-7. But Meath still weren't done. Graham Reilly, who had a frustrating day overall, left a goal in it in added time.

Meath pushed for a second goal that would have forced a replay, but some heroic Dublin defending, with Kevin Nolan stripping Graham Reilly of the ball after another late surge, keeping their goal intact. Farrell did have one final attempt at goal from a free, but Cluxton confidently claimed his driven shot from a 21-yard free and the title was Dublin's.

Meath Scorers: G Reilly 0-3, B Farrell 0-7 (0-6f), S Bray 0-1, J Sheridan 0-1 (0-1 45), D Tobin 0-1, J Queeney 1-0.

Dublin Scorers: B Brogan 1-7 (0-4f), K McManamon 0-1, A Brogan 0-2, D Bastick 1-0, E O'Gara 0-2, J McCarthy 0-1.

Meath: D Gallagher; D Keogan, K Reilly, M Burke; D Tobin, S McAnarney, B Menton; C Gillespie, B Meade; A Forde, D Carroll, G Reilly; B Farrell, J Sheridan, S Bray. Subs: E Harrington for K Reilly (25), C Ward for Forde (28), P Byrne for Carroll (HT), J Queeney for Meade (48), M Collins for Bray (58).

Dublin: S Cluxton; M Fitzsimons, R O'Carroll, P McMahon; J McCarthy, K Nolan, C O'Sullivan; E Fennell, D Bastick; P Flynn, A Brogan, B Cullen; B Brogan, MD Macauley, K McManamon. Subs: C Dias for Flynn (5-6, temp), E O'Gara for A Brogan (29), P Andrews for McManamon (49), B Cahill for Fennell (57), C Dias for Flynn (60), P Brogan for Cullen (65).

Referee: Marty Duffy (Sligo)

Attendance: 69, 657