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It proved to be a dramatic Electric Ireland Leinster minor final, with extra-time and penalties required to separate the teams.<\/p>\n
Meath thought they had it won down the home stretch, before 1-01 from Logan Tennyson for Kildare drew the sides level and forced the extra period.<\/p>\n
Tennyson was to break Meath hearts again in extra-time, slotting the last-gasp free to bring the game to penalties.<\/p>\n
Ultimately, Kildare triumphed 5-3 on penalties, capping what was surely the most heartbreaking manner in which to lose such a game.<\/p>\n
However, Meath manager Trevor Giles would give a superb, dignified interview to LMFM at full-time.<\/p>\n
READ HERE: The 5 Most Surprising GAA Provincial Championship Winners Of The 21st Century<\/a><\/p>\n READ HERE: Eamon Fitzmaurice Wonders If Donegal Made Big Error Ahead Of Kerry Clash<\/a><\/p>\n Kildare beat Meath in Leinster minor final<\/p>\n Trevor Giles spoke to LMFM for over seven minutes post-match in Portlaoise, a mark of the man after such a gutting loss for his team.<\/p>\n WATCH: @MeathGAA<\/a> Minor manager Trevor Giles speaks to LMFM\u2019s @Davy_Rispin<\/a> following tonight\u2019s heartbreaking defeat to Kildare in the Leinster MFC Final. pic.twitter.com\/3tmK1Fy7Ib<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 LMFM RADIO (@LMFMRADIO) May 22, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Giles was reflective, choosing to celebrate what was a terrific game of football rather than solely focusing on his own team’s heartbreak.<\/p>\n “It’s awful tough on these young lads, tough on adults,” Giles said.<\/p>\n “But they’ll be fine, the lads. We knew that was the system, we know those are the rules at the moment, there’s extra-time, there’s penalties.<\/p>\n “Listen, that’s the system, but the system is great.<\/p>\n Great character shown by our lads and, to be fair, great character shown by Kildare as well.<\/p>\n They’re great lads, they do work hard, they’re down to Earth, they’re competitive, they’ve great character.<\/p>\n It was a classy interview from the Meath legend, who went on to show amazing support for his captain Harry McGuirk.<\/p>\n McGuirk was superb on Friday night but was the unfortunate Meath player to miss in the shootout, an undeserved ending for such a standout player.<\/p>\n Giles used his own personal experience to empathise with his captain and stressed that he would be back again with force in the All-Ireland quarter-final.<\/p>\n He’s our leader, he’s our captain, and he plays that way. We’re delighted to have him.<\/p>\n Listen, I said to the lads, I missed penalties. The ’99 All-Ireland final, the 2001 one…we were five points down when we got a penalty, would have been two points down if I’d scored it, anything could have happened. I missed it, and the game got out of our reach.<\/p>\n So I’m not one to talk about penalties. It’s a tough thing to score, I’ve missed my share of them.<\/p>\n I’d spend zero time on the penalties tonight with the lads, I just focus on the 100 minutes that they were absolutely fantastic.<\/p>\n We’ll dust ourselves down, we’ve Cork in two weeks’ time, a big powerful team. Listen, we’ll have a go at that.<\/p>\n That Meath still have an All-Ireland quarter-final to look forward to is something Giles and his players are immensely grateful for.<\/p>\n “It makes a massive difference,” Giles said.<\/p>\n “The old system, when I was playing, you got beaten in the Leinster final and that was the end of your campaign, good luck, good night!<\/p>\n “The system is fantastic, it gives us two weeks to get ready for an All-Ireland quarter-final. The lads are disappointed in there but, yeah, we’ll look after them. Their parents, their families will look after them.<\/p>\n “Yep, two weeks to focus on the quarter-final, and we’ll have a go at that.”<\/p>\n The entire seven-minute interview is well worth your time.<\/p>\n The Meath minor players will surely count themselves lucky not only to have a county legend like Giles in the dressing room, but that his outlook is so encouraging after a difficult night.<\/p>\n Meath will now face Cork in the All-Ireland quarter-finals in a fortnight, while Kildare face Kerry.<\/p>\n SEE ALSO: Explaining The New All-Ireland Format That Has Baffled GAA Supporters<\/a><\/p>\n
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