Dominant Meath take the honours

Leinster MFC Final/Meath 1-16 Offaly 2-5: The Meath minors celebrated a ninth provincial title and first since 1993 by parading the trophy in front of a not too pleased Hill 16. That their lap of honour slowed in front of the growing sea of blue reflects the fearless attitude of this team.

Defeated All-Ireland College finalists St Pat's, Navan, supply the spine of attacking players who proved vastly superior to Offaly. Along with Trevor Giles as a selector, there are plenty of household Meath names in this underage set up.

Shane O'Rourke, Shane Carr, Sean Keating, Brian Sheridan and late substitute Colin Clarke were all members of the St Pat's team, managed by O'Rourke's father Colm, that lost so narrowly to Newry CBS in this years Colleges decider.

Sheridan is a brother of Meath full forward Joe, while corner forward Alan Nestor is a brother of Nigel.

Meath dominated the contest throughout, leading 1-3 to 0-1 after 10 minutes, thanks in the main to some wonderful football from Nestor, including an individual goal of high quality.

James Gorman replied with a goal to ensure Offaly held the pace, although three quick scores in the lead up to half-time from Sheridan, O'Rourke and Reilly kept Meath four points clear.

Reilly and Sheridan pushed the margin out to six with early second-half scores but referee Derek Fahy threw Offaly a life line entering the last quarter.

Fahy blew for a penalty after what seemed a fair tackle by Carr on Gorman. William Mulhall fired the penalty off the underside of the crossbar but in the scrabble that followed Ken Casey reduced the deficit to three points with a brave finish to the net.

O'Rourke took control thereafter with two delightful scores off either boot, the second from the sideline.

Reilly heaped further misery on Offaly with two late points to put an accurate reflection on the final scoreline considering Meath's dominance throughout.

MEATH: J Ginnity; G Farrelly, S Sheppard, S Carr; D Donegan, E Reilly (0-1), P Bradley (capt); S O'Rourke (0-4, free and sideline), C Finn; G Reilly (0-5), C Lynch (0-1), D Dalton; A Nestor (1-2, one free), S Keating (0-1), B Sheridan (0-2, one free). Subs: C Carry for S Keating (49 mins), P Larkin for C Lynch (60 mins), C Clarke for E Reilly (61 mins).

OFFALY: B Quinlan; B Lonergan, D Hales, S Pender; G Ward, D Horan, J Knight (capt); D Kilmartin, R Brady; J Gorman (1-1), D Currans, B Kelly; W Mulhall (0-2), N Dunne, K Casey (1-2, two frees). Subs: C Mahon for D Kilmartin (half time), N Geraghty for D Horan (33 mins), C Egan for N Dunne (44 mins), G O'Connell for B Kelly (54 mins), P Lambe for R Brady (57 mins).

Referee: D Fahy (Longford).