Leinster Senior Football Championship quarter-final

MEATH 7-14 WICKLOW 0-7

By Paul Keane at Aughrim

A Leinster SFC mismatch in Aughrim yielded seven goals for rampant Meath, a thrilling cameo from hat-trick hero Jordan Morris and ultimately a place in next Sunday's provincial semi-finals for the 2019 finalists.

Having operated in the Super 8s last year and Division 1 of the Allianz League this term, Meath dominated this contest against the team recently promoted from Division 4.

Morris, an U-20 for the Royal County earlier this year, scored 3-4 in total, slotting home his second and third goals from penalties late on as Meath finished in style with four goals from the 57th minute onwards.

There were five other Championship debutants for Meath on the day with two of those, Mathew Costello and sub Cathal Hickey, also finding the net while joint captain Bryan Menton and Joey Wallace also registered goals for Meath.

The 28-point loss was tough for Wicklow to take though Davy Burke's men will still take the positives from a season that saw them earn promotion.

As for Meath, they'll hope there's plenty more action to come in the weeks ahead after finally getting back to winning ways.

They'd put in some decent performances over the last year or so but still hadn't won a League or Championship game in 16 months and were 10 games without a win until travelling to the home of Wicklow football.

The gulf in class between the two teams was apparent from early on with Meath bringing their greater power and physicality to bear immediately and forcing a series of turnovers all around the field.

Meath's first two goals came from turnovers with Wicklow goalkeeper Mark Jackson spilling possession after a huge hit from Thomas O'Reilly, allowing Morris to tap in the loose ball.

That score left Meath 1-2 to no score clear after 10 minutes with Morris accounting for 1-1 of that.

Wicklow finally opened their account in the 22nd minute through Dean Healy but it was to be their only point of the half from open play, Jackson scoring the other two from frees.

Bryan McMahon slotted back to back points for Meath before the 2010 provincial winners swooped for a second goal in the 30th minute.

This time Costello forced a turnover around the halfway line and carried possession up the pitch before playing a neat one-two with O'Reilly and firing off his weaker right foot into the top corner.

Two minutes later, Menton grabbed his goal and already the game appeared to be up for struggling Wicklow.

It was another clever one-two that left Menton in the clear and he rounded Jackson before sliding a low shot to the net.

Menton seized possession from the resulting kick-out and fired over a high, curling point that would have drawn a huge cheer from the Meath fans if any were there.

Shane Walsh and Cillian O'Sullivan buzzed with attacking intent for Meath and Walsh performed a tidy solo dummy before slotting a left-footed point to close out the first-half scoring, leaving the visitors 3-6 to 0-3 ahead.

Wicklow improved in the third quarter but back to back Morris points before the second water break had the effect of ignited Meath's challenge again.

Boss Andy McEntee opted to run in his subs in the closing 20 minutes or so and his bench contributed 2-2 in total with Wallace, Hickey and James Conlon all making pressing cases for inclusion at Croke Park.

McEntee introduced six players for their Championship debuts in total including promising defender Eoin Harkin and attacker Jason Scully who came on in the second-half.

Scorers for Meath: Jordan Morris 3-4 (2-0 pens, 1f), Bryan Menton 1-1, Mathew Costello 1-0, Joey Wallace 1-0, Cathal Hickey 1-0, Shane Walsh 0-3 (1f), Bryan McMahon 0-2, James Conlon 0-2, Cillian O'Sullivan 0-1, Shane McEntee 0-1.

Scorers for Wicklow: Mark Jackson 0-2 (2fs), Seanie Furlong 0-2 (2fs), Dean Healy 0-1, Eoin Darcy 0-1, Andy Maher 0-1.

MEATH: Marcus Brennan; Seamus Lavin, Conor McGill, David Toner; Donal Keogan, Ronan Ryan, Mathew Costello; Bryan Menton, Ronan Jones; Cillian O'Sullivan, Bryan McMahon, Shane McEntee; Jordan Morris, Shane Walsh, Thomas O'Reilly.

Subs: Joey Wallace for O'Reilly (41), Ethan Devine for Menton (43-46 blood), Jason Scully for McMahon (56), James Conlon for O'Sullivan (58), Cathal Hickey for Keogan (59), Eoin Harkin for Toner (61).

WICKLOW: Mark Jackson; Eoin Murtagh, Jamie Snell, Patrick O'Kane; David Devereaux, Niall Donnelly, Darren Hayden; Padraig O'Toole, Dean Healy; Rory Finn, Mark Kenny, Andy Maher; Conor Byrne, Seanie Furlong, Eoin Darcy.

Subs: Saoirse Kearon for Devereaux (22), Ross O'Brien for Snell (52), Conor Healy for Byrne (59).

Referee: Ciaran Branagan (Down).