Following this morning’s draw for the semi-finals of the Tailteann Cup, Meath have been drawn against Antrim in the last four encounter. The game is scheduled for Sunday next, June 25 in Croke Park and exact fixture arrangements will be announced by the Central Competitions Control Committee (CCCC) later on today.
This will be only the third ever meeting of the counties in the Championship with the first coming in the All-Ireland SFC semi-final in 1951 when Meath won out by 2-06 to 1-07 and it was another fifty-four years before the counties met again, with Meath coming out on top in Round 1 of the Qualifiers on a scoreline of 5-12 to 0-13 in a fixture which was played in Casement Park.
Stephen Bray who is a selector with the current team, lined out at corner forward that day in Casement Park and helped himself to 2-01, with both goals coming inside the opening eleven minutes of the game. Injury was to force the in form attacker off after just twenty-six minutes.
The line out for that Qualifier Round 1 victory eighteen years ago was as follows.
Meath: David Gallagher; Caoimhín King; Kevin Reilly; Niall McKeigue; Tom O’Connor; Darren Fay; Paddy Reynolds; Nigel Crawford; Anthony Moyles; Niall Kelly; David Crimmins; Peadar Byrne; Graham Geraghty; Brian Farrell; Stephen Bray.
Substitutes Used: Joe Sheridan, Ray Magee, Mickey Burke, Niall McLoughlin, Mark Ward.
Scorers: Graham Geraghty (1-04), Stephen Bray (2-01), Joe Sheridan (1-02), Peadar Byrne (0-02), Brian Farrell (0-01), David Crimmins (0-01), Ray Magee (0-01).
Meath path to the semi-final
Round 1 – Meath (1-19) (0-11) Tipperary. Venue – Páirc Tailteann.
Round 2 – Meath (3-17) (1-14) Waterford. Venue – Fraher Field.
Round 3 – Meath (1-11) (1-09) Down. Venue – Parnell Park.
Quarter Final – Meath (2-23) (0-12) Wexford. Venue – Páirc Tailteann.
Total Scored: 7-70
Total Conceded: 2-46
Antrim path to the semi-final
Round 1 – Antrim (3-18) (2-12) Leitrim. Venue – Corrigan Park.
Round 2 – Antrim (2-15) (0-14) Wexford. Venue – Chadwicks Wexford Park.
Round 3 – Antrim (3-13) (1-12) Fermanagh. Venue – BOX-IT Athletic Grounds.
Quarter Final – Antrim (1-19) (1-15) Carlow. Venue – Corrigan Park.
Total Scored: 9-65
Total Conceded: 4-53
Cover photograph via Brian Mulligan.
By Meath GAA Mon 19th Jun
