The 2023 Tailteann Cup final was the second final of the Tailteann Cup and the culmination of the 2023 Tailteann Cup, the GAA's second-tier Gaelic football competition for county teams. The match was played at Croke Park in Dublin on 15 July 2023, between and . The match was played prior to the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship semi-final between Dublin and Monaghan. It was televised live on RTÉ2 as part of The Sunday Game, presented by Joanne Cantwell from the Croke Park studio.
Meath won the match on a scoreline of 2–13 to 0–14.
Paths to the final Meath
Down
Pre-match As the match was played prior to the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship semi-final between Dublin and Monaghan, the demand for tickets for the final was high. Some Meath fans expressed their frustrations online at their inability to get a ticket through general release.
On 7 July, Cavan's Noel Mooney was named as referee for the final.
Match Summary Down started much the brighter of the two, their eagerness to get the game going reflected in a four points to one lead, but a fortuitous Meath goal on 17 minutes changed the complexion of the game. Jack Flynn lobbed a shot in from distance with a point in mind, but the ball pounded off the upright and dropped in front of goal where it deflected off Ronan Jones and into the net.
Matthew Costello's second pointed free for Meath left them a point ahead approaching the interval but Liam Kerr levelled it up at 1–3 to 0–6 when he blasted over a great goal chance for Down. Down were reduced to 14 in the 29th minute when Ceilum Doherty was shown a black card for a pull down.
Back to back points from Down goalkeeper Niall Kane amounted to a solid start to the second-half for the favourites, but Cathal Hickey and Jones cancelled those scores out and Jack O'Connor, who was only on as a sub, put Meath into a 1–6 to 0–8 lead.
Flynn was the Man of the Match who nudged Meath to victory with four more terrific scores for the Royals, all coming in a crucial period around the hour mark as they set the seal on victory. O'Connor snatched Meath's second goal in the dying moments after a turnover in the Down defence, summing up the excellent work of the Meath backs.
Details
1 Niall Kane 2 Patrick McCarthy 3 Pierce Laverty (c) 4 Anthony Doherty 5 Miceal Rooney 6 Ceilum Doherty 7 Danny Magill 8 Daniel Guinness 9 Odhran Murdock 10 Shealan Johnston 11 Liam Kerr 12 Rory Mason 13 Eugene Branagan 14 Pat Havern 15 Ryan Johnston Substitutes:16 John O'Hare 17 Shane Annett 18 Ryan McEvoy 19 Ross Carr 20 Patrick Branagan 21 Donagh McAleenan 22 Gerard Collins 23 Andrew Gilmore 24 Conor Poland 25 Peter Fegan 26 Ryan Magill Manager:Conor Laverty1 Seán Brennan 2 Adam O'Neill 3 Ronan Ryan 17 Ciaran Caulfield 5 Donal Keogan (c) 6 Padraic Harnan 7 Sean Coffey 8 Ronan Jones 9 Conor Gray 19 Cathal Hickey 11 James McEntee 20 Jack Flynn 13 Jordan Morris 14 Mathew Costello 15 Aaron Lynch Substitutes:16 Harry Hogan 4 Harry O'Higgins 10 Daithí McGowan 12 Jack O'Connor 18 Cillian O'Sullivan 21 Eoghan Frayne 22 Michael Flood 23 Donal Lenihan 24 Diarmuid Moriarty 25 Keith Curtis 26 Ben Wyer Manager:Colm O'Rourke Man of the Match: Jack Flynn (Meath)
Post-match Meath captain Donal Keogan accepted the Tailteann Cup from GAA president Larry McCarthy in the Hogan Stand.
Huge crowds turned out for a homecoming event on 17 July in Páirc Tailteann, Navan from 7:30pm to welcome home the Tailteann Cup and the winning team, with supporters being urged to turn out wearing their green and gold.
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