Allianz FL D2: Flynn the hero again for Meath

Allianz National Football League Division Two

Meath 1-20 Louth 0-22

By Paul Keane at Croke Park

Cometh the hour, cometh Jack Flynn for Meath, an increasingly familiar refrain.

Just like he did in Cavan in Round 2, Flynn rode to Meath's rescue with another late, late two-point score to secure the sweetest of National Football League wins over old rivals Louth.

Remarkably, as in Cavan, there was only 50 or so seconds remaining when Flynn boomed over his two-point score, turning a one-point deficit into a one-point win.

With three victories from three now, having also defeated Derry in Round 1, when Flynn was man of the match with 0-7, Robbie Brennan's side have taken pole position in the promotion race, until tomorrow at least when Cork have the opportunity to join them at the top again.

Ruairí Kinsella's 1-3 contribution was important too while Jordan Morris fired over six points.

But the 2025 All-Ireland semi-finalists came so close to suffering another agonising defeat to neighbours Louth who memorably defeated them in last summer's Leinster final, as well as in last season's league.

Louth trailed by 11 points at half-time but turned it around with four second half two-pointers from captain Sam Mulroy, and 0-4 from former All-Star Craig Lennon, to lead by a point at the death.

That's when Flynn took matters into his own hands, lofting over what is now becoming a trademark score, his fourth two-pointer of the campaign so far.

Anybody wondering beforehand about the validity of the Meath-Louth rivalry got their answer within seconds of the throw-in.

Referee Brendan Griffin had his eye on a scuffle among a number of players at the Hill 16 End and stopped the clock after just nine seconds to dish out four black cards.

All-Star Meath defender Seán Rafferty and his colleague Brian O'Halloran were sent to the line along with Mulroy and Ciarán Downey.

Later in the half, just as Kinsella had got the ball away for a point, he took a big hit from Peter Lynch that earned the Louth defender a booking. Lynch ended up being taken off in the 32nd minute with an injury after a foul by Morris that drew a booking. There were four yellow cards and four black cards in total in the first half alone.

That Kinsella point in the 23rd minute was an inspirational score that ignited a storming passage of Meath play, yielding 1-7 in total without response.

Meath had been 0-7 to 0-6 ahead, thanks in part to an early two-pointer from Kinsella, but the blitzkrieg of scoring between the 23rd and 29th minutes opened up a 1-14 to 0-6 lead for the hosts.

Meath took over completely at midfield in this period, laying waste to the Louth kick-out with catch after catch to create score after score.

If it wasn't Cian McBride pulling balls from the air, it was Bryan Menton or Donal Keogan, the latter fetching well and setting up Morris for a two-pointer.

Earlier in the half, there was concern when Morris crumpled in agony after contorting his body to get a pass away that was intercepted. Louth worked a score off the turnover and counter-attack for Lennon, but the real worry was Morris as he suffered a serious knee injury in the corresponding fixture last spring. Thankfully for Meath, the Kingscourt man got back going again and played a key role.

Kinsella struck Meath's goal in the 24th minute, cutting through the centre of Louth's defence after being released by Mathew Costello.

There was drama just before half time when Louth were awarded a penalty for a Costello foul on Downey who was just about to pull the trigger.

Mulroy stepped up to take the kick but his shot was poor and Meath goalkeeper Seán Brennan got down to his left to save, ending the half with Meath 1-15 to 0-7 ahead as the siren had already sounded.

Meath didn't escape entirely as the influential Costello had to be replaced at half time with an apparent leg injury from throwing himself into the challenge.

Louth, now playing with the stiff wind, reeled off the first four scores of the second half, amounting to 0-6 as Mulroy converted two two-point frees.

Meath didn't manage another point until Morris executed a textbook backdoor cut in the 50th minute and fisted over.

Louth continued to eat into the deficit and two more Mulroy two-pointers from frees left his side just a point behind with four minutes to go.

Lennon then struck back to back points to move Louth ahead for the first time in the game.

It seemed like they'd done enough to steal the win but Flynn took on the responsibility yet again for Meath with his game clinching last gasp two-pointer.

Meath scorers: Ruairí Kinsella 1-3 (1 tp), Jordan Morris 0-6 (1 tp, 0-1f), Mathew Costello 0-3 (1 tp), Jack Flynn 0-3 (1 tp), Aaron Lynch 0-2, Bryan Menton 0-1, Eoghan Frayne 0-1 (0-1f), Jack O'Connor 0-1

Louth scorers: Sam Mulroy 0-9 (4 tpf, 0-1f), Craig Lennon 0-4, Paul Mathews 0-3 (1 tp), Ciarán Downey 0-2, Conor Grimes 0-1, Dara McDonnell 0-1, Tadhg McDonnell 0-1, Ciarán Keenan 0-1.

Meath: Seán Brennan; Seamus Lavin, Seán Rafferty, Brian O'Halloran; Donal Keogan, Seán Coffey, Ciarán Caulfield; Jack Flynn, Cian McBride; Mathew Costello, Ruairí Kinsella, Bryan Menton; Jordan Morris, Eoghan Frayne, Aaron Lynch.

Subs: Conor Duke for Costello h/t, Jack O'Connor for Lynch 49, Adam O'Neill for Menton 56, Killian Smyth for Keogan 65.

Louth: Niall McDonnell; Padraic Tinnelly, Dermot Campbell, Donal McKenny; Craig Lennon, Peter Lynch, Emmet Carolan; Dara McDonnell, Conor Early; Paul Mathews, Sam Mulroy, Conor Grimes; Tadhg McDonnell, Ciarán Downey, Ryan Burns.

Subs: Conall McKeever for Lynch 32, Kieran McArdle for McDonnell h/t, Eoghan Callaghan for Grimes 48, Ciaran Keenan (0-01) for Burns 48, Daire Nally for McDonnell 63.

Referee: Brendan Griffin (Kerry).