Allianz Football League Division Two

MEATH 3-15 DERRY 0-9

By Paul Keane at Pairc Tailteann, Navan

A thrilling second-half performance that included two goals from Cillian O'Sullivan secured Meath's first Allianz league win under new manager Andy McEntee.

The Royal County lost heavily to Kildare last weekend, but responded with a 15-point win in Navan to keep their promotion hopes alive.

The win was fashioned upon a fine second-half performance that saw Meath come from two points down with O'Sullivan and fellow goalscorer Bryan McMahon both superb.

But midfielder Bryan Menton was the Man of the Match with four points from play having returned to the squad after a year out.

Both sides were looking to improve on their opening day performances with Meath losing by 10 points to the Lilies and Derry drawing with Clare.

Meath were fancied on home soil and had more of the early chances, but racked up the wides initially as they played into a stiff breeze.

Free-taker Donal Lenihan found the conditions difficult and dragged kicks wide from placed balls at the town end of the ground.

Shane McEntee and Menton did put the Royals 0-2 to 0-0 ahead, but Derry, without their Slaughtneil contingent, picked off enough scores to fight back to level terms on three different occasions.

Benny Heron and Conor McAtamney took advantage of the wind to launch over points for Damian Barton's men.

Emmett McGuckin tied up at 0-4 apiece after a clever rob further out the field of Meath forward Conor Downey who was taken off soon after.

It was a poor first-half, in truth, and Meath were guilty of several bad errors in the attacking area with Donal Keogan racing forward and losing possession and O'Sullivan blazing a goal chance over.

Three Derry points in a row late in the half was enough to put the visitors 0-6 to 0-4 ahead at half-time.

Points from James Kielt and Enda Lynn after the restart kept Derry's two-point lead intact but the game turned with a burst of Meath scoring.

O'Sullivan's 44th minute goal kick-started the Royals and was an inspirational score as he burst through with a trademark dart of pace before rifling in.

Menton then showed a touch of class when he gathered possession with a clever flick and punched the ball over before a point from Brian Sheridan.

Meath entered the final 10 minutes leading 1-9 to 0-8 and kicked on with a second goal when Menton set McMahon through and O'Sullivan wrapped it up with Meath's third in injury-time.

The only downside for the Royals was Alan Forde's 65th minute dismissal following a second yellow card.

Scorers for Meath: Cillian O'Sullivan 2-2, Bryan Menton 0-4, Bryan McMahon 1-1, Ruairi O Coileain 0-2, Shane McEntee 0-1, Alan Forde 0-1, Brian Sheridan 0-1, Joey Wallace 0-1, Cian O'Brien 0-1, J Toher 0-1 (45).

Scorers for Derry: Benny Heron 0-2, Enda Lynn 0-2, James Kielt 0-2, Conor McAtamney 0-1, Emmett McGuckin 0-1, Niall Loughlin 0-1 (1f),

MEATH: Paddy O'Rourke; Donal Keogan, Conor McGill, Mickey Burke; Willie Carry, Brian Power, Shane McEntee; James Toher, Bryan Menton; Alan Forde, Cian O'Brien, Cillian O'Sullivan; Conor Downey, Brian Sheridan, Donal Lenihan.

Subs: Joey Wallace for Downey (29), Ruairi O Coileain for Burke (h/t), Bryan McMahon for Lenihan (53), Eamon Wallace for McEntee (59), Kevin Ross for E Wallace (66, black card), Sean Tobin for Sheridan (70).

DERRY: Ben McKinless; Ronan Murphy, Conor Nevin, Peter Hagan; Niall Keenan, Neil Forrester, Michael McEvoy; Conor McAtamney, James Kielt; Enda Lynn, Niall Loughlin, Carlus McWilliams; Danny Talon, Benny Heron, Emmet McGuckin.

Subs: Oisin Hegarty for Hagan (44), Jack Doherty for Nevin (45), Gavin O'Neill for McAtamney (54), Ryan Bell for Loughlin (60), Thomas Mallon for McKinless (70, black card). Enda Lynn black card 75, not replaced.

REFEREE: Liam Devenney (Mayo).