Bord na Móna O’Byrne Cup Semi-Finals

Meath 1-19, Longford 2-16 (a.e.t.) Meath win free-taking competition 2-1

Westmeath 1-9, Offaly 1-7.

The province holds its breath!

Leinster GAA held the first-ever Gaelic football free-taking competition to decide the Bord na Móna O’Byrne Cup semi-final at Pairc Tailteann this afternoon, when Meath and Longford ended all-square after extra time.

Mark McCabe and Cillian O’Sullivan were the Royal County heroes as their accuracy from the 45 metre line sent Andy McEntee’s side through to the final against Westmeath next Sunday.

Both counties had five attempts each at the end of a draining encounter, but only three of the ten shots were on target.

Sean McCormack was the only Longford player to find the range in the shoot-out, so Meath went through on a history-making ‘scoreline’ of 2-1.

The initiative is set to become more common-place in the GAA going forward with the intention to avoid replays as much as possible.

It provided an exciting conclusion to a dramatic encounter, even if both teams were slow to settle in the opening half.

The sides were tied at 0-1 apiece after 15 minutes, but a 32^nd minute Robbie Smyth goal gave Longford a 1-5 to 0-4 cushion at the interval.

By the 13^th minute of the second half, Meath had equalised through Bryan McMahon. And although Sean McCormack edged Longford in front again, Sean Tobin struck for a 57^th minute goal to leave them leading 1-10 to 1-8.

Joey Wallace then increased the gap to 1-11 to 1-8, only for Longford to come storming back with unanswered points from Robbie Smyth, James McGivney and Darren Quinn. Late on, Tobin and Smyth traded points as it ended 1-12 apiece after 70 minutes.

Only three points were added in the opening ten minutes of extra-time; with Sean Tobin and Mark McCabe on target for Meath and Sean McCormack slotting over another for the visitors.

Yet the drama was only starting! James McEntee, Bryan Menton and Daniel O’Neill looked to have put Meath safely through to the decider as they built up a 1-18 to 1-14 advantage. The influential Robbie Smyth kept Longford in touch, only for Joey Wallace to put four between the teams again.

However, Longford stalwart Michael Quinn refused to accept defeat and fired home a goal and a point in the dying moments to result in the first-ever competitive free-taking competition in inter-county football.

For the record, the free-taking competition went as follows:

Shot 1 – Meath (Sean Tobin) wide; Longford (Robbie Smyth) wide    0-0

Shot 2 – Meath (Mark McCabe) point; Longford (Sean McCormack) point    1-1         

Shot 3 – Meath (Cillian O’Sullivan) point; Longford (Paddy Collum) wide   2-1

Shot 4 – Meath (Joey Wallace) wide; Longford (Barry Gilleran) wide    2-1

Shot 5 – Meath (James McEntee) wide; Longford (James McGivney) wide    2-1

Meanwhile, it was more mundane at TEG Cusack Park as Westmeath again came out on top in a local derby against Ofaly on a scoreline of 1-9 to 1-7.

Westmeath boss Colin Kelly will now be in charge of a team in the Bord na Móna O’Byrne Cup final for the second year in a row, having managed Louth in the decider against Dublin 12 months ago.

The home side led for most of the match, with Offaly only on level terms when Joey O’Connor opened their account with a 13^th minute goal, after Westmeath had opened with three early points.

The lively Luke Loughlin was again to the fore in the opening 35 minutes, which Westmeath began to control again after a 20^th minute goal from Denis Corroon. John Egan and Callum McCormack also got on the scoresheet as they led by 1-7 to 1-2 at the break, after playing with the wind.

McCormack stretched Westmeath’s advantage to six points after the resumption, before Offaly staged a fightback with scores from Bernard Allen, Michael Brazil and Sean Doyle.

Late on, Alex Gardiner restored Westmeath’s three point lead with only their second point of the half, and although young Offaly sub Cian Johnson reduced their deficit to two again, Westmeath held out to reach the final.