Meath produce late on to shock Galway and secure All-Ireland semi-final berth
Meath's Jordan Morris celebrates after the game. Pic: Laszlo Geczo/Inpho
Maybe let’s just forget the opening 50 minutes. Very little exciting, very little memorable. But leave it there to the last quarter. Drama overflowing. Momentum lurching. The Royals and Jordan Morris roaring on.
Morris pointed off a Galway kickout not retained by a maroon shirt on 50 minutes. It was their second point of the second period that they'd engineered from a spoiled Galway kickout.
It was the second point in a 1-3 Royal burst. From level to a six-point lead that had a strong matching-winning whiff off it.
We make no apologies that so much of this report has already and will continue to centre on Morris. On 51 minutes, Conor Gleeson denied his goal drive. Ciarán Caulfield subsequently kicked wide.
Galway were taking on water and yet Meath were keeping their ship afloat with these chances not taken. Then, in a stunning two minutes, they pressed down hard on Joyce’s ship and Joyce's time as Galway manager.
Daniel O’Flaherty turned over, sub Conor Gray uprooting the green flag. Meath profiting off Galway turnovers - 2-6 in total - was the story of the game, even if the headline will be Meath progressing to a first All-Ireland semi-final since 2009.
That progression appeared sealed as early as the 54th minute. Meath won Gleeson’s kickout following the goal, Morris thumping the ball back between his posts. 1-12 to 0-9.
Four minutes was all that Galway required to torpedo those semi-final dreams. Enter Damien Comer, re-enter Galway.
The Tribesmen thundered back into contention with 2-3 between the 56th and 59th minute. The returning Comer had a hand in three of the four scores.
He won the free for a Shane Walsh two-pointer. He won the sideline that began a sequence of passes that ended with fellow replacement Cillian McDaid shaking the net. He won the equalising free that Rob Finnerty converted.
The stunning overtaking movement was completed by Liam Silke. Nerve held at the end of another delicious run of defence-splitting passes.
All this in 10 minutes and still another 10 to run. The final leg was determined to best what had come before.
Gleeson, for the third time in this quarter-final, produced a fantastic save to deny the soccer-style effort of Morris. Yes, we are back to Morris.
The subsequent 45 was kicked wide by Meath ‘keeper Billy Hogan, two of three he would kick in the second period.
Gleeson went short with the restart. Galway corner-back Johnny McGrath turned over. Matthew Costello to Morris. Goal. Meath back in front 2-13 to 2-12.
Cathal Hickey and Morris swelled that lead to three as Walsh kicked wide and Paul Conroy’s two-point effort fell short at the far end.
Comer’s white flag was quickly cancelled out by Morris. Walsh’s second orange of the day reduced the margin to the minimum with 90 seconds remaining. Meath held possession from the restart. They were exceptionally strong under their own restart.
They held on and held out. A 16-year gap bridged for this Division 2 side who have now taken out Kerry, Dublin, and Galway in a single championship.
Cagey and careless was the opening half. Thirty-five minutes that took from, rather than in any way enhanced or added to, football’s rebirth and this revitalised championship it has fed.
After 16 minutes, the scoreline read 0-1 apiece. Messrs cagey and careless were equal parts responsible.
Of Meath’s opening six points attempts, only Seán Coffey was successful. And but for the glove of recalled Galway ‘keeper Gleeson, the flag would have been green, not white.
Of the other five, Morris was thrice wide, Keith Curtin was also off-target, and Conor Duke was short.
Galway’s kicking was less of an issue. Their first half rap sheet had only one short and three wides, one of which was a Dylan McHugh goal chance that could very easily have been a penalty for Billy Hogan’s outstretched leg.
Galway’s issue was their handling and decision-making. Their handling was infuriatingly poor.
Meath’s second point from Eoghan Frayne, on 17 minutes, stemmed from a Seán Kelly handpass intercepted. Their third from Jordan Morris came from Matthew Thompson needlessly losing possession at the far end. For their fifth, Cian Hernon was at fault for the turnover.
Matthew Costello executed a superb down the line pass to Ruairí Kinsella. The pattern should be clear by now.
Kinsella’s 27th minute point shoved the Royals 0-5 to 0-3 in front. A not insignificant lead in the context of a throwback opening half shy of flags. Meath would lead by two again on the half hour. Their early inaccuracy had been corrected. No wide in 20 minutes. And yet still they found themselves behind at the break.
Matthew Tierney caught and converted a wayward Cein Darcy point attempt. Walsh assisted the latest driving run of Seán Kelly, with Maher punching over 38 seconds after the hooter for a 0-7 to 0-6 interval advantage.
It wasn't their taxing schedule of late that led to this lead and their three-point lead on the hour mark not being protected.
Jordan Morris was interviewed pitchside post-match. He tried and tried to keep his emotions in check. With his last utterance, he roared to the green and gold. “C’mon the Royals”.
On they roar. The championship’s surprise package spring another upset.
J Morris (1-6); M Costello (0-4, 0-1 free); C Gray (1-0); D Keogan, S Coffey, C Duke, B Menton, E Frayne, C Hickey (0-1 each).
S Walsh (0-5, 2 tp); R Finnerty (0-3, 0-2 frees); L Silke, C McDaid (1-0 each); M Tierney, M Thompson (0-2 each); S Kelly, J Maher, D Comer (0-1 each).
B Hogan; R Ryan, S Rafferty, S Lavin; D Keogan, S Coffey, C Caulfield; B Menton, A O’Neill; M Costello, R Kinsella, C Duke; J Morris, E Frayne, K Curtis.
C Hickey for Curtis (42); B O’Halloran for Lavin (temporary, 46-49); C Gray for O’Neill (46); B O’Halloran for S Rafferty (56), S Rafferty for Lavin (60); E Harkin for Duke (temporary, 64); C McBride for Menton (67).
C Gleeson; J McGrath, S Fitzgerald, J Glynn; D McHugh, S Kelly, C Hernon; J Maher, C Darcy; L Silke, M Tierney, P Cooke; M Thompson, S Walsh, R Finnerty.
P Conroy for Hernon (42); C McDaid for Cook (43); D O’Flaherty for McHugh, D Comer for Tierney (both 51); K Molloy for Kelly (64).
M McNally (Monaghan).
That’s an easy one. Eight minutes from the end and ahead by two, Galway gifted Meath a second goal and a straight road back into contention. Johnny McGrath accepted a short restart, was promptly turned over, with Jordan Morris palming to the net.
Galway made three changes to their named team. Another goalkeeping switch, with Connor Gleeson coming back in for the first-choice No.1 of the two previous games, Conor Flaherty. Jack Glynn and Peter Cooke were also late promotions in place of Paul Conroy and Cillian McDaid. Glynn starting saw No.4-wearing Liam Silke spend an amount of time in the right half-forward berth. Matthew Costello was a late introduction on the Meath side, Cathal Hickey dropping out.
Meath sourced a match-winning 2-6 off turnovers.
When do these contender-felling Meath results stop having ‘surprise’ or ‘shock’ put before them? That’s Dublin, Kerry, and Galway all bettered in the space of just over two months. This Division 2 outfit have more than earned their seat at the semi-final table.
Another easy one. Jordan Morris was untouchable. 1-6. All from play. Responsible for 1-2 of their final 1-3. Conor Gleeson denied him a second goal. Galway’s last line of defence will be seeing him in their sleep for quite a time to come.
Matthew Costello returned here, and to superb effect. It remains to be seen if Jack Flynn and Ronan Jones can do likewise against Donegal in a fortnight.
Pádraic Joyce expressed frustration with a couple of key second-half calls by Martin McNally. The Galway boss felt Daniel O’Flaherty had been fouled when stripped of possession for Meath’s opening goal. There was timekeeping debate around Meath’s last free, as well as the play not resuming despite Conor Gleeson attempting to do so by taking the kickout to himself.
Meath prepare for a first All-Ireland semi-final in 16 years, that against Donegal. Pádraic Joyce and the county board must decide if he goes again in 2026 for season No.7 at the helm.
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