GAA round-up:Meath went goal crazy at Croke Park this afternoon to end Dublin's stranglehold on the Leinster football tile. The Royals will meet Louth in a fortnight's time after emerging as genuine All-Ireland contenders following this 5-9 to 0-13 success.
Stephen Bray illuminated a tight first half, scoring the first of his side’s five three-pointers. After picking the ball up 40 metres out, the corner forward drove hard at the Dublin goal and smashed a shot past Stephen Cluxton at his near post.
Cluxton was beaten another four times after the break, with Bray grabbing a second and Cian Ward, Joe Sheridan and Brian Farrell all producing outstanding finishes. Ward’s effort will take some beating for goal of the season, the Wolfe Tones man firing an unstoppable effort into the top corner from distance.
Dublin had held their own in the first half but were cut asunder in the second with five of Meath’s forwards getting on the scoresheet. For Pat Gilroy, the qualifiers now beckon while Meath march on to the Leinster final.
In Salthill, Galway played their ‘get out of jail free’ card to earn a replay with Sligo. Nine points down at half-time, and reduced to 14-men soon after, Joe Kernan’s side fought back to draw 1-10 to 1-10 in this Connacht semi-final.
In an extraordinary game of two halves, Galway looked dead-and-buried at the break after managing just two points while Sligo, with David Kelly causing all sorts of problems, had scored 1-8.
Galway’s cause took a further turn for the worse within minutes of the restart when Sean Armstrong picked up a second yellow card. But as the Tribesmen rallied, Padraic Joyce began finding his range and the Sligo scores began to dry up.
And, as the match entered injury time, Garrett Bradshaw knocked over the levelling point to ensure the sides will meet again next weekend at Markievicz Park.
In Ulster, Monaghan advanced to a final showdown with Tyrone after blowing Fermanagh out of the water at Breffni Park. Two late goals spared some of Fermanagh’s blushes as the match finished 0-21 to 2-8.
Trailing by 14 points at one stage (0-20 to 0-6) Fermanagh at least added a touch of respectability to the scoreboard but they were completely outclassed by Seamus McAnaney’s men.
Sunday’s GAA results
Connacht football championship semi-final
Galway 1-10 Sligo 1-10
Ulster football championship semi-final
Fermanagh 2-8 Monaghan 0-21
Leinster football semi-final
Dublin 0-13 Meath 5-9
Louth 1-15 Westmeath 2-10
Ulster hurling championship final
Antrim 4-22 Down 1-12
All-Ireland football championship qualifiers
London 0-9 Wexford 4-22
Tipperary 0-13 Laois 0-12