Cork 3-19

Meath 1-12

MATTHEW HURLEY REPORTS

KEITH Ricken praised a more polished Cork display as they booked a first All-Ireland minor football semi-final since 2021 with a convincing win over Meath in Semple Stadium.

After an extra-time win over Kerry in Munster, this was about backing it up with a statement performance – and they did just that, overpowering Meath in this quarter-final at Semple Stadium, Thurles, where they led 0-13 to 0-3 at the break.

‘It was important to put a bit of football together,’ said Cork boss Keith Ricken.

‘The Munster final was about character, stickability and work rate, but they’d be the first to admit they weren’t overly happy with their football in the first 40 to 45 minutes. They got going eventually.

‘Today they were a bit more polished in what they were doing. Not fully there yet. We still had a few errors, but overall there was good communication. It’s a big pitch out there, and it was great to get the minutes into their legs. I was delighted with that.’

Ballincollig's Joe Miskella celebrates after scoring his goal. (Photo: Martin Walsh)

The young Rebels were against a strong breeze in the second period, but any glimmer of a Meath comeback was snuffed out inside 20 seconds. Barryroe’s Conrad Murphy drove through the middle, offloaded to Jacob Barry, who picked out Eoghan Ahern to make it 1-13 to 0-3.

‘We have a couple of those that we try to do every time. Like everything else, Roy of the Rovers stuff doesn’t come off most of the time. You have to keep trying them and I was delighted it worked out,’ manager Ricken said.

‘I was the last man in the group out, so they were all ahead of me. Coming out onto the pitch, the ball had been thrown in, you could see it opening up and there was an opportunity on. They took it.’

Three two-pointers in the first half set Cork on their way, with two coming from goalkeeper Rory Twohig. His second long-range effort from around 60 metres was the pick of the bunch.

Clonakilty's Tom Whooley sizing up his options as Meath's Niall Rogan moves in. (Photo: Martin Walsh)

‘They were crucial in terms of timing and execution. He has always had them in his locker. He’s well able to kick from the ground, but it’s not just about the skill set – it’s the mentality, and that has to develop. That’s really developing in all of them now, Rory particularly,’ the Cork boss explained.

‘We do a lot of reflective practice where we get the lads to evaluate themselves. Their own opinion matters more than anybody else’s. I just let them sit there and see what they think. Rory has been exceptional at that. He’s able to evaluate his thoughts, evaluate his kicking if it goes wrong. He’s honest about it and comes out and does it.’

The game was nip and tuck for the first nine minutes as Twohig and Ben Hegarty traded scores with Meath’s Cormac Walsh and Harry McGuirk, but from then on Cork took control.

In the remainder of the opening half, the Rebels outscored Meath 0-11 to 0-1.

Joe Miskella and Tom Whooley caused havoc, with Miskella also converting a two-pointer. Whooley could have had a couple of goals but had to settle for 0-2.

‘It took us a few minutes to adapt to it but we kicked some good scores. We had a couple of goal chances we probably should have taken. A ten-point lead at half time, with that breeze, mightn’t be enough at times but we were playing well.

‘Things went our way. We got a fortuitous line ball at one stage and got the second goal out of it. That’s the opportunities you must take. Other traditional counties would take those, so I was glad the lads took them,’ Ricken added.

Despite being against the elements in the second half, goals from Ahern and Kieran O’Shea put the result beyond doubt. Darragh O’Sullivan received a black card on 39 minutes but Cork still held a 2-14 to 0-6 advantage. Meath only outscored the Munster champions 1-4 to 0-3 during the period the Rebels were down to 14.

‘I thought we adjusted very well after the black card,’ Ricken said.

‘We kept the scores to a minimum during that time and didn’t concede much. The goal they did get was an excellent goal in fairness.’

Joe Miskella bagged the third goal after a Conor Downing shot was saved in a dominant display from Ricken’s side.

Scorers

Cork: Rory Twohig 0-9 (3 2ptf, 2 45, 1f); Joe Miskella 1-3 (1 2pt); Tom Whooley 0-4; Eoghan Ahern, Kieran O’Shea 1-0 each; Ben Hegarty, Conrad Murphy, Alex O’Herlihy 0-1 each.

Meath: Harry McGuirk 1-4 (1 2pt); Cormac Walsh 0-3; Milo Stafford 0-2 (2ptf); Conn Brennan, Niall Smyth, Cormac McKenna 0-1 each.

Cork: Rory Twohig (Kilmeen); Riain McCormack (Midleton), Aaron O’Sullivan (Glanmire), Conor Garvey (St Finbarr’s); Darragh O’Sullivan (Erin’s Own), Conor Downing (Adrigole), Éanna Lynch (Ballincollig); Kieran O’Shea (Urhan), Conrad Murphy (Barryroe); Eoghan Ahern (Carrigaline), Ben Hegarty (Ballinora), Joe Miskella (captain, Ballincollig); Tom Whooley (Clonakilty), Jacob Barry (Aghinagh), Donal Herlihy (Shamrocks).

Subs: Alex O’Herlihy (St Finbarr’s) for D Herlihy (44); Kevin O’Donovan (O’Donovan Rossa) for D O’Sullivan (50); Peadar Kelly (Naomh Abán) for C Murphy (54); Donncha O’Mahony (Newcestown) for J Barry, Micheál Walsh (Bride Rovers) for B Hegarty (both 58).

Meath: Cormac Fitzsimons; Ben Browne, Tomás Clarke, Niall Rogan; Liam O’Donoghue, Harry McGuirk, Niall Smyth; John Killoran, Tomás Proudfoot; Cormac McKenna, Conn Brennan, Alex Keane; Cormac Walsh, Milo Stafford, Dara Loughran.

Subs: Harry Keating for J Killoran (ht); Leo Kavanagh for T Proudfoot (36); Tomás Dillon for D Loughran (40); Harris Moffat for C Walsh (51); Oisín Farrelly for L O’Donoghue (55).

Referee: Eamon O’Connor (Offaly).