Penalty heartbreak for Meath Minors

A marathon Leinster Minor Football Championship Final concluded at O’Moore Park in Portlaoise with jubilation and devastation. Meath led by four points entering the final three minutes of added time, but Kildare finished strongly with a goal and an equalising point to force extra-time at 1-11 each. In extra-time, Meath again led by the minimum, but a soft free allowed Kildare to draw level at the death and send the match to penalties. Meath’s captain Harry McGuirk had his penalty saved by Kildare goalkeeper Joe Crotty, and Luke Shanahan scored the decisive kick as Kildare converted all five spot-kicks. Meath’s improved performance offers optimism ahead of an All-Ireland quarter-final against Cork.

"Meath produced a performance of gigantic proportions and looked set to claim the honours for the first time since 2021 when leading by four points heading into the three minutes of added time. However, Kildare finished with a flourish with a goal and then an equalising point to leave it 1-11 each and send the match to extra-time. Then in that additional 20 plus minutes Meath again found themselves ahead, this time by the minimum before a free of the softest variety allowed Kildare to again draw level right at the death and leave the match to be decided by a penalty shoot-out."

"The Lilywhites expertly converted their five spot-kicks with Luke Shanahan scoring the deciding one after Meath captain Harry McGuirk saw his well-struck effort saved by Kildare net-minder Joe Crotty. It was devastating for a crestfallen McGuirk who had produced the performance of his life in the preceding 80 minutes."

"Since then Meath had improved significantly and probably produced their best display in the decider, something which will give them plenty of optimism ahead of their All-Ireland quarter final clash with Munster champions Cork. They made a shaky enough start to proceedings conceding points to Eoghan Lyons and Jack Reilly in a little over a"

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