Horan haul punishes students
Holders Meath advanced to the last four after recovering from a slow start to comfortably overcome 14-man DCU at Pairc Tailteann.
The students began brightly with two converted frees by Emmet Kent, but only three of their points came from open play.
Meath had a better spread of marksmen, with the long-serving Nicky Horan leading by example.
On the half-hour, Horan set up Keith Keoghan to fire the home side's goal.
And although Kent raised a green flag for DCU on 33 minutes, Meath led by 1-8 to 1-4 at the break.
The students kept the deficit to four going into the closing stages, but captain Alan Griffith received a straight red card for a heavy charge on Pete Durnin eight minutes from time and Meath pulled away, Horan even able to take a point from a late penalty.
Scorers -- Meath: N Horan 0-7 (4f, 1 pen), K Keoghan 1-0, C Fitzsimons 0-3, D Healy, P Durnin 0-2 each, S Clynch, D Raleigh, M Cole 0-1 each. DCU: E Kent 1-6 (0-6f), W O'Brien, D Reidy, Q Lynch 0-1 each.
Meath -- S McGann; C Reilly, E Fitzgerald, D Gleeson; E Keogh, P Fagan, S Morris; S Clynch, C Fitzsimons; E Marsh, D Healy, K Keoghan; D Raleigh, N Horan, P Durnin. Subs: M Cole for Raleigh (57), S Heavey for Keoghan (59), C O Mealoid for Marsh (69), J Kelly for Durnin (70), C Flaherty for Healy (70).
DCU -- B McCormack; S Kelly, W Eviston, J Whelan; S McGrath, A Griffith, J Ging; JJ Lennon, Q Lynch; E Kent, W O'Brien, S Griffith; D Reidy, C Foley, J Cullen. Sub: G Muldoon for S Griffith (51).
Ref -- D Heffernan (Westmeath).
- MEATH 1-17 DCU 1-9
Irish Independent
