Allianz FL D2: Meath edge out Derry

Allianz National Football League Division Two

Meath 0-19 Derry 1-13

By Paul Keane at Croke Park

Meath have picked up in 2026 pretty much where they left off last summer, thrilling their supporters with another big Croke Park win to ignite their National League Division 2 promotion hopes.

Derry were many people's pre-League fancies for an immediate return to Division 1 following relegation last year.

And when they raced into a significant early lead, it looked as if they might pick up a badly needed win - they went through all of 2025 without winning a game - with relative ease.

But it was mostly downhill from there for Ciaran Meenagh whose Derry side was reeled in by a resurgent Royal County led by the excellent Jack Flynn at midfield.

Flynn missed the last four games of Meath's 2025 Championship campaign due to injury but the 2023 Tailteann Cup final man of the match returned with a bang here, reeling off seven points in total.

Flynn knocked over two two-pointers as last year's All-Ireland semi-finalists continued their habit of drilling long range scores with five two-pointers in total.

Mathew Costello and Jordan Morris weighed in with important scores too while the return of James Conlon, who scored Meath's last point, after injury was another giant bonus.

Meath will travel to play Cavan next Sunday while things won't get any easier for Derry who will host Tyrone in a Saturday evening blockbuster.

Shane McGuigan led the scoring again for Derry with 0-7 while Paul Cassidy grabbed a fortuitous first-half goal for them and finished with 1-3.

Derry were desperate to pick up a first win in the National League since they captured the 2024 Division 1 title by beating Dublin.

Their fortunes spiralled last year but they have Gareth McKinless and Conor McCluskey back from injuries now.

And with McGuigan still thriving in attack and former All-Stars Conor Glass and Brendan Rogers back together at midfield, they named a strong lineup.

They dominated the first 25 minutes or so too, creating chance after chance and running up a deserved 1-5 to 0-3 lead.

The goal was a disaster from Meath's perspective as Cassidy's point attempt dropped short and was fumbled by goalkeeper Seán Brennan.

Niall Loughlin was closing in on Brennan but the Dunderry man, one of three late additions to the Meath lineup, made a costly error as the ball squirmed out of his grasp.

He excelled in two other moments though, firstly tipping over a dipping McKinless shot when Derry were putting the pressure on.

Then, as Meath finally found their groove and came roaring back into the contest approaching the interval, Brennan drilled over a two-point free from downtown.

Derry, leading by 1-3 to 0-1 after 17 minutes, and by five with just 10 minutes to go in the half, suddenly lost their way.

Three two-pointers from Meath helped swing the game as the Royals hit 0-8 without response in total to take a surprise 0-11 to 1-5 half time lead.

The Brennan two-pointer from a free came after Derry were punished for a 4/3 breach. Soon after, McGuigan had a free that was stripped off him for taking too long as the Oak Leafers suffered a mini-meltdown.

Jordan Morris piled on the misery with Meath's fourth two-pointer after the restart, a stunning kick off the outside of his boot into the Hill 16 End.

A Flynn point from a 45 then left Meath 0-14 to 1-5 clear.

Derry got it going again midway through the second half with McGuigan and Cassidy both nailing two-pointers.

But the closest they could get to Meath was a single point as the 2025 Leinster finalists picked off vital scores to keep themselves just out of arm's reach.

Cian McBride had a big impact when he came on, making one great fetch and then winning a free that Flynn converted for two points.

Scorers for Meath: Jack Flynn 0-7 (1 tp, 1 tpf, 0-1 45), Mathew Costello 0-3 (0-1f, 1 tpf), Jordan Morris 0-3 (1 tp), Seán Brennan 0-2 (1 tpf), Eoghan Frayne 0-1, Bryan Menton 0-1, James Conlon 0-1, Ciaran Caulfield 0-1.

Scorers for Derry: Shane McGuigan 0-7 (1 tpf, 0-1f), Paul Cassidy 1-3 (1 tp), Gareth McKinless 0-1, Ethan Doherty 0-1, Matthew Downey 0-1.

​Derry: Shea McGuckin; Diarmuid Baker, Conor Doherty, Ruairí Forbes; Padraig McGrogan, Gareth McKinless, Conor McCluskey; Conor Glass, Brendan Rogers; Ethan Dogherty, Shane McGuigan, Niall Loughlin; Paul Cassidy, Niall Toner, Conor McAteer.

Subs: Cian McBride for Duke 49, James Conlon (0-01) for O'Neill 53, Jack O'Connor for Frayne 61, Jason Scully for Kinsella 65, Ronan Ryan for O'Halloran 68.

Meath: Seán Brennan; Seamus Lavin, Seán Rafferty, Brian O'Halloran; Donal Keogan, Ciarán Caulfield, Adam O'Neill; Bryan Menton, Jack Flynn; Conor Duke, Ruairi Kinsella, Seán Coffey; Jordan Morris, Eoghan Frayne, Mathew Costello.

Subs: Matthew Downey for McAteer 43, Shea Downey for Toner 54, Patrick McGurk for Loughlin 61, Sean Kearney for Baker 65, Sean Young for Cassidy 70.

Referee: Barry Tiernan (Dublin).