Cork footballers fall to Meath in entertaining U20 challenge featuring seven goals

Cork 4-12 (4-2-8) Meath 3-16 (3-1-14) 

An entertaining U20 challenge match finished with Sean Smyth giving the visitors a one-point victory at the death at the SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh 4G pitch on Sunday morning.

The hosts had a five-point advantage until the Royals hit back with a Nathan Reilly goal and a two-pointer from Will Byrne, before the final strike as the game faded out.

It was a lesson learned by all accounts as a development selection got to grips with a Meath outfit with very real aspirations of pushing on after reaching last season’s Leinster U20 final.

The management team will be encouraged by the performance, especially the work done by Carrigaline star Ben Corkery, who finished the game with 1-6 tallied, which included two two-pointers. Oisin Harrington, Daniel Holland and Padraig McGrath also raised green flags, as Cork navigated an energetic Meath side that generated the majority of their scores from turnovers won deep inside their own half.

The visitors used these to take a 1-6 to 1-3 lead midway through the first half, with Holland getting the Cork goal in response to Cormac Murphy, and they would have been further in front if not for a number of excellent saves by Cillian O’Brien from Béal Átha'n Ghaorthaidh.

Cork slowly found a way back into it, and managed to draw level at the break with the scoreboard reading 1-8 apiece.

Paul McGrath goaled just seconds after the restart and Meath replied with Reilly and Will Byrne splitting the posts. McGrath responded, just before a tame shot dropped onto the square for Harrington to fire in from close range and that made it 3-9 to 1-10 in the 37th minute.

Meath immediately pushed up and a scramble in front of the posts led to a penalty that was neatly put away by Cormac Murray, with the half-forward sending the Cork goalkeeper the wrong way.

The Rebels won the ball from the long kick out and set up Corkery to get his green flag, as they pushed further in front at 4-10 to 2-11.

The Royals went up a gear during the final 10 minutes as Cork began to move players around. Smyth completed the comeback and sent the visitors away with a win from an entertaining game.

Scorers for Cork: B Corkery 1-6 (2 2pt, 1 2pt f), D Holland, P McGrath 1-2 each, O Harrington 1-0, B O’Mahony 0-2.

Meath: N Reilly 2-4 (1f); C Murray 1-1 (1p), S Smyth, W Byrne (2pt), W Byrne all 0-2, D J Madden 0-2, D Feehan 0-1.

CORK: C O’Brien (Béal Átha'n Ghaorthaidh); E Healy (Macroom), O Harrington (Kilmeen), A Murphy (Mallow); T Howe (St Finbarr’s), E Hyde (Éire Óg), G O’Leary (Ballinascarty); H Cogan (Glanmire), M Collins (Ibane Gaels); D Holland (Donoughmore), B Corkery (Carrigaline), J Tompkins (Bishopstown); B O’Mahony (Glanmire), L Murphy (Ibane Gaels), P McGrath (Douglas).

Subs: G Murphy (Cloughduv) for O’Mahony (HT), J Flaherty (Douglas) for O’Brien (HT), H Browne (Glanmire) for Collins (42), S Murphy (Éire Óg) for McGrath (50), A McCarthy (Ballinascarty) for O’Leary (50), E Kelleher (Dohneys) for Holland (50).

MEATH: E McDonnell; S McQuillan, E P Demange, D Feehan; R Johnson, S Bennett, L Casey; D Byrne, C Ferguson; W Byrne, C Murray, E McDonald; J Madden, S Smyth, N Reilly.

Subs: L Ryan for Johnston (24); J Madden for McQuillan (45).

Referee: Alan O’Connor (Ballygarvan)