Depleted Kildare side fall short of huge comeback against Meath

Meath 0-18

Kildare 0-15

A depleted Kildare side fell short of a huge comeback against Meath. The Lilywhites that were without, what is now, 12 All-Ireland intermediate champions. The visiting Meath side were cruising with an eight point lead going into the half.

There was little sign of that momentum shifting as the game restarted with another Jack Regan score, of which there were 12 overall. But David Herity’s side began to eliminate some of the sloppy mistakes that had cost them early on and put Meath under some pressure.

Kildare began to draw fouls of their own and corner-forward David Qualter began to claw Kildare back into it with some super free taking. KIldare got to within two of the visiting team but the gap proved to be too wide and Kildare are left with a disappointing start to their league campaign and wondering what might have been had they started this game sharper. Kildare expect all Naas squad members to be available next weekend ahead and who knows what this side could look like then.

Meath, Jack Regan 0-12, James Kelly 0-2, Mark O’Sullivan 0-2, Stephen Morris 0-1, David Reilly 0-1.

Kildare, David Qualter 0-8, Johnny Byrne 0-2, Jack Travers 0-2, Paul Dolan 0-1, Cian Bracken 0-1,  Frank Bass 0-1.

Meath: Charlie Ennis; Sean Geraghty, Shane Witty, Brendan McKeon; James Kelly, Michael Burke, Shane Brennan; David Reilly, Patrick Potterton; Mark O’Sullivan, Padraic O’Hanrahan, Jack Regan; Adam Gannon, Damien Healy, Stephen Morris.

Subs: Nicholas Potterton on for Adam Gannon (28 mins), Justin Coyne on for Padraic O’Hanrahan (Half time),  Callum O’Sullivan (62 mins), Jack Walsh on for Patrick Potterton (64 mins).

Kildare: Paddy McKenna; Michael Hogan, Tom Finnerty, Cathal Derivan; Sean Christianseen, Mark Delaney, Paul Dolan; Jack Travers, Andy Shanagher; Cathal McCabe, Gerry Keegan, Johnny Byrne; Cian Bracken, Pat Leahy, David Qualter.

Subs: Conor Kielty on for Cian Bracken (26 mins), Frank Bass on for Pat Leahy (41 mins), Jack Higgins on for Conor Kielty (64 mins).

Referee: Richie Fitzsimons (Offaly)