Tailteann Cup semi-final: Meath 2-16 Antrim 2-14
ANTRIM came close, but not close enough, to completing a great escape at Croke Park on Sunday as Meath held firm to advance into the Tailteann Cup final.
The Royals seemed out of sight by the end of the third quarter, leading by eight, but Andy McEntee's charges roared back and indeed, will have some regrets.
There was no sign this game would go this way as Antrim had a good first half and led by one at the break, but fell away for a 20-minute spell after the resumption and found themselves eight back, yet to their credit, hung in.
Although disappointed, they will take a lot from this game and campaign as they build momentum, but just came up short in the penultimate hurdle.
"I think there were chances missed at both ends, but we certainly had momentum with us heading into the last five or six minutes," said McEntee.
"Maybe a lack of composure and some bad decisions cost us dearly.
"There were a couple of key incidents at the start of the second half, three or four decisions we seemed to be on the wrong end of and Meath maybe got 1-2 out of it. Instead of scores at one end, there were scores at the other, although I maybe have a slightly jaundiced view of it.
"They showed a lot of character throughout the year so I wasn't surprised they kept coming."
Antrim got off to a good start with early scores from Adam Loughran and Dominic McEnhill and led 0-5 to 0-2, but Meath drew level as Jack O'Connor spotted Aaron Lynch free inside and this finish to the net was excellent to level.
Tellingly, Antrim got the next score through a McEnhill free and although points from Jordan Morris and Mathew Costelloe edged Meath ahead, Antrim grabbed the initiative back immediately in 23 minutes.
Patrick McBride palms the ball into the goal, bringing @AontroimGAA right back into the game! pic.twitter.com/4ZOtTxjt0N
— The GAA (@officialgaa) June 25, 2023
Aghagallon's Ruairi McCann got on the end of a long ball and although Seán Brennan smothered his shot, corner-back Harry O'Higgins needlessly trailed down McCann after and gave referee Barry Judge no option but to award a penalty that was cooly tucked away by McEnhill.
Meath did get level and could have got more had Mick Byrne not saved well from Costello, but a pointed 45 on the stroke of half-time from the Antrim goalkeeper gave his side a deserved 1-7 to 1-6 lead at the break.
When McCann pushed out the gap from a mark straight after the resumption, it seemed Antrim were in a good place, but Meath proved a much different prospect in the third quarter as they were much more direct, rattling off three quick points before they hit their second goal as the ball squirted out in front of Jordan Morris who rounded Byrne and slotted home.
The scores kept flowing and Meath looked out of sight when 2-13 to 1-8 ahead, but after a barren 20 minutes, a Loughran point sparked Antrim to life. The goal their challenge needed came on 63 minutes as a shot from substitute Conhuir Johnston came down off the post with McEnhill gathering and squaring to McBride to palm home and narrow the gap to two.
They could have had another as Loughran was in but coughed up the ball, although a Dermot McAleese point left the minimum between the teams.
Tellingly, Meath just about managed to keep their noses in front with Costello and Flynn pointing to leave a goal in it.
Antrim just didn't have the execution with a couple of long deliveries but did get one last chance with the ball breaking to Odhran Eastwood who swung a boot, but the ball went over rather than under the bar and Meath survived to reach the final.
"It was sort of relief at the end the way the game transpired," said Meath manager Colm O'Rourke.
"We got into a great position and then seemed to take our foot off the pedal and in the end, we were looking for the whistle. Antrim came back at us strong and will think they could have got something out of it."
MEATH: S Brennan; A O'Neill, R Ryan, H O'Higgins; D Keogan, P Harnan, S Coffey; J Flynn (0-2), C Gray (0-1); C Hickey (0-1), J McEntee (0-1), J O'Connor (0-1); J Morris (1-4), M Costello (0-4, 1 free), A Lynch (1-2, 0-1 M).
Subs: C Caufield for H O'Higgins (HT), D Lenihan for J McEntee (51), C O'Sullivan for A Lynch (53), D McGowan for J O'Connor (55), R Jones for C Hickey (65)
ANTRIM: M Byrne (0-2, 1 45); P McCormick, P Healy, E McCabe; D McAleese (0-2), D Lynch, M Jordan; J Finnegan, C Hynds; P McBride (1-1), A Loughran (0-3), R McCann (Creggan, 0-1); R Boyle, R McCann (Aghagallon, 0-1 M), D McEnhill (1-3, 1-0 pen, 0-3 frees).
Subs: G Walsh for P Healy (17), E Quinn for J Finnegan (52), C Johnston for R McCann (Creggan, 62), C McLarnon for P McBride (63), O Eastwood (0-1) for A Loughran (70+2)
REFEREE: Barry Judge (Sligo)
