GAA: Meath in five-point half-time lead

Meath take a five-point lead into the dressingroom at half time after a first half in which All-Ireland champions Kerry failed to get out of the blocks.

Meath 1-06, Kerry 0-04 (half-time)

Meath take a five-point lead into the dressingroom at half-time in the All-Ireland semi-final after a first half in which All-Ireland champions Kerry failed to get out of the blocks.

O’Cinneide got the Kingdom’s first score from a free on two minutes and Ollie Murphy levelled the sides with one from play.

Mike Frank Russell responded for Kerry but Meath then unleashed an onslaught through a point from Richie Kealy and another two from Ollie Murphy.

Half-back Mike Hassett was replaced by Tommy Griffin and then supersub Maurice Fitzgerald was introduced when Tom O’Sullivan went off injured.

Crucially Kerry’s defence were troubled by the Meath forwards and it all culminated in a goal for veteran John McDermott in the 34th minute.

The move involved Ollie Murphy who passed to Graham Geraghty - the full-forward generously passed to McDermott who beat O'Keeffe in the Kerry goal.

Kerry responded well and scored two from play - through Crowley and Brosnan -for damage limitation before the break.