The Royal supremacy continues in Croker
few hiding places, and Meath’s superiority was evident even in the opening seconds.
In the first attack, tricky St Colmcille’s corner forward James Conlon was denied a point by an upright and when the rebound dropped kindly to Daire Rowe, he forced Robert Sansom into a smart save low to his left.
Louth actually opened the scoring with a William Woods free-kick three minutes later, but Meath soon took control, puncturing holes in the Reds’ defence at will.
Kevin Ross and Rowe quickly clocked up a brace apiece to make it 0-4 to 0-1, and by the 12th minute all three of the Royals full-forward line had registered from play as Conlon made it 5-1.
Paddy Kennelly and David Toner lent a hand too, but by and large it was the terrible trio in the top line than inflicted the damage.
Not that Meath weren’t on top throughout the pitch.
They bossed midfield too, and as a result the supply lines to William Woods, Conal O’Hanlon and Cian Callan were severely restricted.
After falling 8-1 behind Louth managed to hit back through Colm Giggins and Woods, from a free, but both scores were cancelled out by Ross and Rowe respectively.
As Ollie McDonnell contemplated how he might change things, his hand was forced by David Quigley’s needless red card, and Meath certainly weren’t going to sit back and let their opponents coast into halftime for a re-group.
Points from Conlon (2), Rowe (2) and Kennelly gave Meath a firm grip on the trophy at the break and with a man over in the second period they were never likely to blow it.
McDonnell had made four changes by the 10th minute of the second-half, but Meath still managed to stretch their lead to 13 points, 0-16 to 0-3.
It looked like it might get embarrassing for Louth at that stage, but even with their chances of victory well and truly gone, they rallied bravely.
Dan O’Connell and Ben Brennan traded points and impressive second-half sub Aaron O’Brien sawpped one with Michael Flood, but then Louth conjured four points without reply with Woods (2), O’Brien again and O’Connell on target.
It was never going to be anything more than damage limitation, but by the end the Reds had taken some of the bad look off the scoreline as Neil Shorthall, and Woods traded the last two scores, the latter edging his side into double figures.
But unlike that fateful day seven years ago, there was no late drama or recriminations - the better team left with the cup.
It was fitting that Meath’s excellent full forward Daire Rowe stepped forward to collect it, capping a fine individual display from the Syddan man, whose clubmate and former Ardee CC star Kevin Traynor lined out at half back.
The win also brought more silverware and accolades to St Colmcille’s quintet, Adam Lynch, Joe Sweeney, Ben Brennan, James Conlon and sub-keeper Jordan Browne - none of whom will be eligible next year.
MEATH: Johnny Lynch; Adam Lynch, Luke Moran, Michael Flood 0-1; David Toner 0-1, Joe Sweeney, Kevin Traynor; Adam Flanagan, Conor Farrell; Paddy Kennelly 0-3, Ben Brennan 0-1f, Cathal McConnell; James Conlon 0-4, Daire Rowe 0-5 (2f), Kevin Ross 0-3 (1f). Subs: Stephen Coogan for Conlon (43), Neil Shorthall 0-1 for McConnell (47), Declan Smyth for Traynor (51), Willie Carry for Brennan (53), Jamie Reilly for Lynch (56), Ciaran O’Rourke for Toner (59).
LOUTH: Robert Sansom; Barry Reynolds, Kieran Lenehan, Niall McCabe; Niall Sharkey, David Quigley, Micheal McDonald; Robert Brodigan, Daniel O’Connell 0-2; Ciaran Sheridan, Dean Maguire, Colm Giggins 0-1; Cian Callan, Conel O’Hanlon, William Woods 0-5 (4f); Subs: Mark Hoey for Reynolds (ht), Conor Early for Maguire (ht), Hugh Osborne for K Lenehan (39), Aaron O’Brien for Callan (39), Peter Nixon for Giggins (42), Cillian Kirk for McCabe (58).
REFEREE: Fergal Barry (Longford).