Royals in deep trouble after fourth NFL defeat
PERFORMANCE wise Meath crept a little closer to breaking their duck in the Allianz NFL Division 1 at Fitzgerald Stadium on Sunday.
However, the display still wasn’t enough to garner anything from this outing and relegation will be staring them in the face when they welcome inform Galway to Pairc Tailteann this Sunday.
For a short spell at the start, during which they conceded 1-5, it looked as if Meath would be on the receiving end of a hiding. Kerry played into a stiffish breeze in the opening half but made a lightning start and threatened to be out of sight at half-time.
Meath responded to that whirlwind opening to work themselves back into contention, though they were five points adrift at half-time, 1-5 to 1-10.
The visitors eventually whittled the deficit back to two, 1-9 to 1-11, before six successive points for the hosts again left eight between them.
That was enough to sustain Kerry until the final whistle, but the Kingdom were made fight all the way by battling opponents who were unlucky not to have a third goal late on as keeper Brian Kelly made a brilliant save to deny Donal Keogan.
Paul Geaney and David Shaw opened Kerry’s account before Cillian O’Sullivan was black-carded for a foul on Jack Barry on four minutes.
Kerry only managed two Sean O’Shea points (frees) despite their numerical advantage, but just before O’Sullivan made his return they struck for a decisive goal from captain David Clifford. Micheál Burns then added a point to leave it 1-5 to 0-0.
A long-range effort from O’Sullivan had Meath off the mark on 17
Kerry Meath 1-19 2-13
minutes, the outstanding James McEntee added another and Meath were back in contention when Donal Keogan finished a great move to the net on 19 minutes.
The pace of Meath’s attacks caused the Kerry defence endless problems and further points from Thomas O’Reilly (two) and James Conlon kept them in the hunt despite the loss of Keogan to a black card on 29 minutes.
Thomas O’Reilly and Paul Geaney swapped points at the start of the second half before successive points from Oisin O’Brien, O’Reilly and Conlon left just two between the sides after 48 minutes.
Substitutes Dara Moynihan and Tommy Walsh were influential as Kerry reeled off six points in a row in response to their lead coming under threat.
Meath, though, refused to give up the chase and a Bryan McMahon goal on 61 minutes left it 1-17 to 2-9. O’Reilly and Tommy Walsh then exchanged scores and Meath edged closer with points from Bryan Menton and Cillian O’Sullivan (free).
With two players, Micheál Burns and Tony Brosnan, in the sin-bin, Kerry came under pressure in added time, but they were able to draw on their vast experience to preserve their lead. KERRY: Brian Kelly; Graham O’Sullivan, Tadhg Morley, Tom O’Sullivan; Paul Murphy, Shane Enright, Gavin White; Liam Kearney, Jack Barry; Micheál Burns 0-3, Seán O’Shea 0-6f, Stephen O’Brien; David Shaw 0-2, David Clifford 1-3 (1f), Paul Geaney 0-2. Subs: Dara Moynihan 0-2 for Kearney (44), Tommy Walsh 0-1 for Shaw (49), Tony Brosnan for O’Brien (61), Diarmuid O’Connor for Geaney (70).
MEATH: Marcus Brennan; Robin Clarke, Conor McGill, David Toner; James McEntee 0-1, Ronan Ryan, Donal Keogan 1-0; Bryan Menton 0-1, Brían Conlon; Cillian O’Sullivan 0-2 (1f), Bryan McMahon 1-0, Ethan Devine; James Conlon 0-2, Thomas O’Reilly 0-6 (5f), Oisin O’Brien 0-1. Subs: Eamon Wallace for Devine (54), Donal Lenihan for O’Brien (59), Sean Tobin for J Conlon (59), Gavin McCoy for B Conlon (65), Ross Ryan for Ronan Ryan (67).
REF: Derek O’Mahony (Tipperary)