Eoghan Frayne stars as Meath U-20s making winning start to Leinster championship

Leinster U-20FC: Meath 0-12 Longford 0-4

Meath's Eoghan Frayne. Photo by: Matt Browne/Sportsfile

Captain Eoghan Frayne bagged six points as Meath made a winning start in Group 1 of the Leinster Under-20 FC at a rain and windswept Allen Park, Clonguish on tonight.

In a match played in atrocious conditions throughout, the Royals controlled proceedings throughout and found it much easier to create and take scores.

With the elements in their favour in the opening half the visitors were full value for their 0-8 to 0-2 interval lead. Full forward Oisín Keogh had them ahead inside 10 seconds and with talisman Frayne accounting for four points they led 0-6 to 0-1 by the midpoint of the opening half.

Jamie Brady Hynes had Longford’s opening score while their other point of the half came from Matthew Flynn but overall the midlanders lacked a cutting edge in attack against a vigilant Meath defence.

Brady Hynes converted a free at the start of the second half for the home side but they never looked capable of closing the deficit.

The winner’s lead extended 0-11 to 0-4 by the end of the third quarter and Meath were never seriously extended after that.

SCORERS – Meath: E Frayne 0-6 (5f); O Keogh 0-3; C Caulfield 0-2; R Kinsella 0-1. Longford: J Brady Hynes 0-2 (1f); Matthew Flynn, Michael Flynn (f) 0-1 each.

MEATH  – B Hogan; B O’Halloran, L Kelly, J Finnerty, B O’Reilly, J O’Regan, S Leonard; J Kinlough, C Gray; C Caulfield, E Frayne, L Stafford; S Emmanuel, O Keogh, R Kinsella. Subs: T Bowden for Emmanuel (42), J McDonagh for Stafford (54), O McDermott for Hogan (56), B Moran for Finnerty (57), C Ennis for Caulfield (60).

LONGFORD – O McManus; D Finlass, S Moran, C Sutton; R Courtney, D Lynch, R Shields; B Lynn, M Duffy; M Flynn, M Hynes, G Farrelly; M Flynn, J Brady Hynes, C Lynch. Subs: O O’Toole for C Lynch (20), C Smith for Shields (h-t), P Boyle for Courtney (36), J Sorohan for M Flynn (45).

REF – A Coyle (Westmeath)