Tailteann Cup Group Two

Meath 1-11 Down 1-9

By Paul Keane at Parnell Park

A tense table topping clash between two old rivals went right to the wire at Parnell Park where stoppage time scores from substitutes Daithi McGowan and Donal Lenihan secured a highly significant Tailteann Cup win for Meath.

In what was a repeat of the 1991 All-Ireland final, Colm O'Rourke's side edged an error strewn encounter with 73rd and 78th minute points to claim top spot in Group 2 and a home quarter-final fixture.

Jordan Morris top scored for the Royals with 1-3 and their reward is a last eight fixture at home at Pairc Tailteann on the weekend of June 17/18.

Conor Laverty and his Down players will have nightmares about this result though as 16 wides cost them dearly.

The Ulster semi-finalists put themselves in a position to push on for a big win when they led by two points after Odhran Murdock's 44th minute goal but 10 second-half wides proved costly.

They will go into tomorrow evening's draw for the preliminary quarter-finals which will take place next weekend.

Both sides were considerably changed from their Round 2 outings with Laverty altering half of his Down lineup after thrashing Tipperary 2-18 to 0-6.

Goalkeeper Niall Kane, defenders Patrick McCarthy, Danny Magill and attackers Shealan Johnston, Donach McAleenan, Liam Kerr and Eugene Branagan all came into the Mourne team.

As for Meath, O'Rourke made four changes to the team that beat Waterford with U-20 star Ciaran Caulfield making his Championship debut and recalls also for defender Adam O'Neill and attackers James McEntee and Jack O'Connor.

Speedy O'Connor burst through the Down defence in the third minute for an excellent opening point but it wasn't exactly a sign of things to come in a largely low quality encounter.

Both sides struggled to score from open play with 13 first-half wides between them and Down only managing a Kerr point from play in the first 35 minutes or so.

Down fans roared their disapproval when Eugene Branagan slammed the ball to the Meath in the 26th minute only for referee Fergal Kelly to call play back for a free in which he'd already awarded.

Something similar happened for Meath's opening goal in the 11th minute when Morris slammed home from the penalty spot. They too had put the ball in the net initially but Kelly had already blown for the penalty following a foul on Ronan Jones who was set free by a terrific Morris reverse pass.

Such moments of quality were fleeting with more perspiration than inspiration on a hot day at the north Dublin venue.

Mathew Costello's point from a stoppage time advanced mark nudged Meath ahead at half-time, 1-4 to 0-6, but it felt like anyone's game.

Things swung in Down's favour when Murdock netted in the 44th minute after a probing move through the centre that climaxed with Guinness playing in the midfielder who finished from close range.

Down led 1-7 to 1-5 at that stage but the scores were back level at 1-8 and 1-9 apiece in the closing quarter.

It was tense stuff with both sides guilty of shooting costly wides. Morris and Costello butchered a goal chance for Meath in the 55th minute while Down booted wide after wide.

McGowan's point from a 45 three minutes into stoppage time nudged Meath clear again and Lenihan set the seal on victory with a point from a free when Ronan Jones was fouled, bringing to an end a two-minute spell of Meath possession.

Scorers for Meath: Jordan Morris 1-3 (1-0 pen), James McEntee 0-2, Jack Flynn 0-2 (0-1f), Jack O'Connor 0-1, Mathew Costello 0-1 (0-1m), Daithi McGowan 0-1 (0-1 45), Donal Lenihan 0-1 (0-1f).

Scorers for Down: Pat Havern 0-5 (0-5f), Odhran Murdock 1-0, Liam Kerr 0-2 (0-1f), Daniel Guinness 0-1, Niall Kane 0-1 (0-1 45).

Meath: Sean Brennan; Adam O'Neill, Ronan Ryan, Harry O'Higgins; Ciaran Caulfield, Padraic Harnan, Donal Keogan; Ronan Jones, Conor Gray; Sean Coffey, James McEntee, Jack O'Connor; Jordan Morris, Mathew Costello, Aaron Lynch.

Subs: Jack Flynn for Caulfield 33, Donal Lenihan for Lynch 45, Daithi McGowan for Gray 56, Cillian O'Sullivan for O'Connor 59, Cathal Hickey for McEntee 67.

Down: Niall Kane; Patrick McCarthy, Anthony Doherty, Pierce Laverty; Conor Francis, Daniel Guinness, Danny Magill; Patrick Branagan, Pat Havern; Liam Kerr, Odhran Murdock, Ceilum Doherty; Eugene Branagan, Donach McAleenan, Shealan Johnston.

Subs: Miceal Rooney for Magill 47, Ryan McEvoy for E Branagan 55, Ross Carr for Francis 60, Shane Annett for S Johnston 61-72, Annett for P Branagan 73, Eamon Brown for McAleenan 77.

Referee: Fergal Kelly (Longford).