Turbo start powers Meath into Leinster semi-final

There was rarely any doubt about Meath's progression after nine-second opening goal

Leinster GAA Senior Football Championship Quarter-Final, Pairc Tailteann, Meath 1/5/2022

Leinster SFC quarter-final: Meath 4-13 Wicklow 1-12 

Jack O'Connor struck a contender for fastest goal of the 2022 football championship as Meath comfortably disposed of Wicklow in Navan to secure their Leinster SFC semi-final place.

The Royals will be in this evening's draw for the provincial semi-finals and, in truth, there was rarely any doubt about their progression though they will also feel there is plenty of room for improvement.

O'Connor's goal came after just nine seconds and effectively handed them a three-point head start though even with James McEntee landing another goal as early as the sixth minute, it was far from plain sailing.

Wicklow were buoyed by their morale boosting win over Laois and it wasn't until after second-half goals from substitutes Mathew Costello and Jack Flynn that Meath could finally breathe out.

They will head into tonight's draw on The Sunday Game with outside hopes of repeating their 2010 provincial title win while Wicklow, who struck a late consolation goal from substitute Oisin McGraynor, will advance to the Tailteann Cup.

Meath probably had a plan in place for just about every possibility in this Championship opener - apart from scoring a goal inside 10 seconds.

Dean Rock may have hit the net for Dublin after 13 seconds of the 2020 All-Ireland final but O'Connor went even better by registering his major just nine seconds into this contest.

Bryan Menton won the ball from referee Paul Faloon's throw-in and fed midfield partner Ronan Jones who picked out the onrushing O'Connor for a well worked solo goal, sliding the ball low past stunned goalkeeper Mark Jackson.

Padraig O'Toole and Kevin Quinn responded with Wicklow points before the visitors were suckered by another Meath goal, this time from McEntee.

Wicklow were surely fuming about the concession as Menton's initial point attempt was a poor one and dropped short but McEntee was quickest to intervene, beating Jackson in an aerial battle and directing the ball to the net.

With just six minutes on the clock and two goals already scored, Meath supporters in the estimated 5,000 crowd must have been thinking about a possible goalfest similar to the 2020 provincial clash in Aughrim when the Royals chalked up 7-14.

What actually occurred was that the teams went toe to toe from there on until half-time, splitting 10 points equally between them to leave Meath 2-5 to 0-7 ahead at the interval.

Jackson strode forward to convert two placed balls for Wicklow, one of those a 26th minute '45 after Meath defender Robin Clarke had cleared a dangerous ball off his own goalline.

Jordan Morris, who scored 3-4 on his Championship debut in that 2020 game, opened his account with a converted free for Meath in the 29th minute but O'Connor, Meath's new free-taker from the left side of the field, wasted two great opportunities.

It was all a little underwhelming from Meath's perspective but they were better after the restart and went a long way towards killing the contest with a series of third quarter scores.

In the 10 minutes after half-time, Meath outscored Wicklow by 1-3 to 0-1 with Costello's 45th minute goal a peach, the Dunshaughlin man playing a clever one-two with Jason Scully before slipping the ball to the net.

That left 10 points between the teams and the gap was out to 13 late on before McGraynor beat Meath 'keeper Harry Hogan in the air in stoppage time to palm in Wicklow's only goal.

Meath scorers: J O'Connor (1-3, 2 frees); B Menton, J Morris (2 frees) (0-4 each); J McEntee, M Costello, J Flynn (1-0 each); T O'Reilly (0-2).

Wicklow scorers: E Darcy (4 frees), M Jackson (3 frees, 1 '45) (0-4 each); O McGraynor (1-0); P O'Toole (0-2); K Quinn, R Stokes (0-1 each).

MEATH: H Hogan; R Clarke, C McGill, E Harkin; J McEntee, D Keogan, C Hickey; B Menton, R Jones; J Scully, T O'Reilly, J O'Connor; J Morris, C O'Sullivan, J Wallace.

Subs: R Ryan for Hickey (h/t); M Costello for Wallace (38); J Flynn for Jones (60); S Walsh for Scully (62); J Muldoon for Harkin (64).

WICKLOW: M Jackson; M Stone, P O'Keane, T Moran; N Devereaux, A Maher, Z Cullen; P O'Toole, JP Hurley; R Stokes, D Healy, D Fitzgerald; M Kenny, K Quinn, E Darcy.

Subs: O McGraynor for Hurley (47); O Cullen for Stokes (52); A Murphy for Devereaux (64); J Kirwan for Darcy (68); M Traynor for O'Toole (72).

Ref: P Faloon (Down).