All-Ireland SFC: Meath show class against Derry

All-Ireland SFC Round 2B

Meath 1-24 Derry 1-20

By Michael Wilson at Find Insurance Park

Meath moved forward to Round Three of the All Ireland Series after ending Derry's Championship season with a deserved four points victory at Find Insurance Celtic Park on Saturday evening.

James Conlon's seven points was the highlight of The Royals display built on their dominance of both kick-outs with Jack Flynn and Donal Keogan also shining for Robbie Brennan's team.

The sides were deadlocked at half-time after first half goals from Keogan and James Sargent but with both sides starting the second period two men short after four black cards, Meath took control.

Runs of three points in a row and then four in a row left Derry with too much to do as substitute Killian Smyth's point sent Meath through.

Meenagh's response to the defeat against Armagh in the opening round was a first championship start for All Ireland Minor captain James Sargent while Paul Cassidy and Dan Higgins also came back in at the expense of Niall Toner, Niall Loughlin and Shea Downey.

Meath meanwhile welcomed back both Jack Flynn and Mathew Costello to the starting 15 that started against Cork and started like a team intent on making a statement.

The Royals dominated the home kick-out first half to the extent that Derry did well to hit 1-09 with Sargent, making his first start for the senior team, the Oak Leaf star of the show in the opening half.

There were only four minutes on the clock when Meath cut through the Derry defence following a superb solo run from inside his own by full-back Sean Rafferty. Rafferty found the excellent James Conlon who sent Donal Keogan through and his finished in style, stepping around Shea McGuckin before firing into the net.

Sargent's '45' got Derry on the scoreboard after the same players initial shot had forced a diving save from Meath No. 1 Sean Brennan and when Shane McGuigan doubled the home tally, it appeared Derry had settled.

However Flynn, who scored a brace of lovely two pointers when the teams met in the opening league fixture this season, illustrated his shooting prowess once again with a two pointer for 1-02 to 0-2 on seven minutes.

Lachlan Murray and Eoin McEvoy brought it back to the minimum again before Meath second two pointer of the half, this time from Bryan Menton, took Meath three clear once more.

Conlon stretched the lead but with Derry needing inspiration, Sargent stepped up with a superb run through the heart of the Royals' defence. Even when he lost possession, the Lavey players had the awareness to turn and finish soccer style across Brennan and into the far corner.

When Murray followed up Conor McCluskey's shot to point, Derry were level and they led for the first time on 24 minutes thanks to Shane McGuigan's first of the evening.

However four unanswered Meath scores swing the pendulum back toward the visitors as Costello, Menton and two from Conlon left Meath 1-09 to 1-06 ahead.

Derry's response was to level for a third ti e in the half as McEvoy, Ruairi Forbes and Sargent ensured parity after a breathless half of football.

A half-time skirmish involving players from both teams as they left the pitch saw both start the second half with 13 players as referee Sean Hurson produced black cards for Oak Leaf duo Conor Doherty and Gareth McKinless and Meath pair Ronan Ryan and Cian McBride.

The extra space saw both sides pour forward and when the dust settled on the 13-a-side game Meath hasd won it five points to four, Derry indebted to Brendan rogers superb two pointer as the Royals led 1-14 to 1-13.

Three unanswered scores from Keogan, Jordan Morris and Jack O'Connor took Meath four clear and it was a deficit Derry never looked like closing. Two points would be as close as Derry got over the closing stages.

Shane McGuigan's late two point free left Derry 1-20 to 1-23 behind but when the same player's next effort dropped short, the clock was always against them.

Smyth's point sealed the deal and Meath were worthy winners.

Derry scorers: James Sargent 1-2 (1 '45'), Brendan Rogers 0-2 (1tp), Shane McGuigan 0-4 (1tpf), Lachlan Murray 0-4 (1to), Eoin McEvoy 0-4, Ruairi Forbes 0-2, Gareth McKinless 0-1, Conall Higgins 0-1,

Meath scorers: Donal Keogan 1-2, Jack Flynn 0-3 (1tp), Bryan Menton 0-3 (1tp), James Conlon 0-7, Mathew Costello 0-2, Sean Brennan 0-2 (1tpf), Jordan Morris 0-2, Jack O'Connor 0-1, Eoghan Frayne 0-1 (1f), Killian Smyth 0-1,

Derry: Shea McGuckin, Padraig McGrogan, Brendan Rogers, Conor McCluskey, Conor Doherty, Gareth McKinless, Eoin McEvoy, Conor Glass, Dan Higgins, Ethan Doherty, James Sargent, Ruairi Forbes, Paul Cassidy, Shane McGuigan, Lachlan Murray. Subs: Diarmuid Baker for C Glass, HT; Niall Loughlin for P Cassidy, HT; Niall O'Donnell for D Higgins, 55mins; Sean Young for Forbes, 57mins; Conall Higgins for D Baker, 61mins

Meath: Sean Brennan, Seamus Lavin, Sean Rafferty, Ronan Ryan, Donal Keogan, Bryan Menton, Sean Coffey, Cian McBride, Jack Flynn, Jack O'Connor, Mathew Costello, Ciaran Caulfield, Jordan Morris, James Conlon, Eoghan Frayne. Subs: Killian Smyth for R Ryan, 47mins; Charlie O'Connor for B Menton, 56mins; Cathal Hickey for J O'Connor, 62mins; Keith Curtis for J Conlon, 66mins;

Referee: Sean Hurson (Tyrone)