Meath upbeat over Down win
Meath Down 4-14 1-14
THE clash of the Boynesiders is definitely back on the menu after Meath took a major step away from the relegation trapdoor with this comprehensive victory over fellow strugglers Down in the NFL at Pairc Tailteann on Sunday.
It leaves the Royals needing a win to be absolutely certain of the ‘Great Escape’ when they visit the Gaelic Grounds, Drogheda, to take on the Wee County in the rearranged sixth-round tie next Sunday.
Following a string of three successive defeats, anything less than a victory would have spelt disaster for Andy McEntee’s side, but they delivered their most impressive display of the campaign to see off the Northerners’ challenge.
It wasn’t difficult to see why the Mourne men have displaced Meath as relegation favourites following this display. Eamonn Burns’ side laboured throughout and seemed to lack the appetite for such a crucial game.
They did have their fair share of possession, especially in the second quarter when they won most of the Meath kickouts, but their overall play lacked serious intent and they were unable to match their opponents’ higher tempo over the 70 minutes.
The game might have taken on a completely different complexion had Connaire Harrison found the net within 20 seconds of the throw-in, but after rounding Brian Power the corner forward had his effort thwarted by Meath keeper Andy Colgan.
The hosts immediately went on the counter-attack and when Donal Lenihan was rugby-tackled to the ground referee Barry Tiernan pointed to the spot. Lenihan picked himself up and made no mistake from the resultant penalty, shooting low to the net.
Meath doubled their advantage two minutes later when livewire Cillian O’Sullivan were on a run before off loading to Graham Reilly who slapped the ball to the net.
So instead of being a goal in arrears Meath found themselves two to the good and that cushion remained for most of the game.
The hosts might have added to the goal tally on 15 minutes when Eamon Wallace creating the opening for Shane McEntee, but the wing back - under pressure - managed to hit the ball the wrong side of the post.
With Donal O’Hara on target with four pointed frees, the visitors closed the gap to three points approaching half-time. However, their chances suffered a blow when the influential Kevin McKernan was black-carded for a high challenge on the 35-minute mark.
Meath then added to their tally with scores from Padraig McKeever and Lenihan to give themselves a five-point cushion at the break, ahead 2-7 to 0-8.
The hosts introduced Paddy Kennelly in place of Adam Flanagan at the start of the second half and the Dunderry man did his chances of a championship spot no harm as Meath won a far greater share of the ball around the midfield area.
O’Hare, with his fifth point, had the opening score of the second half, but Meath always had the ability to respond whenever their lead was threatened.
Kennelly had a great chance of a goal when finding himself oneto-one with the keeper, but Marc Reid proved equal to his effort. However, Kennelly didn’t leave empty-handed as he grabbed the rebound and drove it over the bar from an acute angle.
The lead stretched to nine points after Padraig McKeever burst through for a third goal on the hour mark, though Down responded almost immediately, with Anthony Doherty crashing the ball to the Meath net.
Burns’ side were unable to build on that score, however, and their final three points all came courtesy of frees from Darragh O’Hanlon (two) and Anthony Doherty.
Lenihan hit an effort that rebounded off the bar as Meath continued to create goal-scoring chances. That fourth goal did eventually arrive in the fifth minute of added time, with substitute Sean Tobin breaking through the Down cover before crashing the ball to the net.
Meath’s overall display should serve as a major boost ahead of another crunch tie against Louth at the weekend which will determine where they ply their trade in the 2018 campaign.
Andy Colgan; Seamus Lavin, Conor McGill, Brian Power; James McEntee, Donal Keogan, Shane McEntee; Bryan Menton 0-1, Adam Flanagan; Eamon Wallace, Ben Brennan 0-1, Graham Reilly 1-2; Cillian O’Sullivan 0-3, Padraig McKeever 1-1, Donal Lenihan 1-5 (1-0 pen, 3f, 1’45). Subs: Paddy Kennelly 0-1 for Flanagan (h-t), Joey Wallace for Brennan (51), Sean Tobin 1-0 for E Wallace (59), Bryan McMahon for McKeever (67), Mickey Burke for S McEntee (70), Thomas O’Reilly for Reilly (73).
DOWN: Marc Reid; Colm Flanagan, Brendan McArdle, Anthony Doherty 1-1; Ruairi Wells, Niall McPartland, Caolan Mooney 0-1; Peter Turley, Niall Donnelly; Kevin McKernan 0-1, Conor Maginn, Darren O’Hagan 0-1; Connaire Harrison 0-2, Donal O’Hare 0-5f, Ryan Johnston. Subs: Aaron Morgan for McKernan (BC 34); Sean Dornan for Johnston (45); Darragh O’Hanlon 0-2f for Flanagan (52); Shane Miller for Donnelly (52), R McAleenan 0-1 for O’Hagan (56), D McKibbin for O’Hare (62).
REF: Barry Tiernan (Dublin)