Plenty of pain for dismal Meath in Monaghan

There were few consolations for Meath as they produced a dismal display and were soundly defeated (0-8 to 0-20) by bogey team Monaghan in the NFL Div 2 at Clones today.

After the victory over Galway last week there was real optimism among the Royal County supporters that they could achieve a positive result against Monaghan, who had won the previous two encounters between the sides.

However the wheels fell off the Meath bandwagon and they slumped to deserved defeat.

Facing the wind in the opening half Meath trailed 0-1 to 0-13 at the break.

Some measure of the problems the Royals faced in trying to score could be seen in the way it took them 25 minutes to get their opening point with Cillian O'Sullivan slotting between the posts.

Not that the wind was the only factor in styming Meath as Mick O'Dowd's men struggled to raise a gallop against a slick Monaghan side.

Meath improved somewhat in the second-half but they were fortunate not to concede a goal when goalkeeper Paddy O'Rourke saved a penalty for the second successive week.

Just like he did the previous week against Galway O'Rourke dived to his right to save the spot-kick from Jack McCarron.

Mickey Newman was Meath's top marksman with two points, both from placed balls.

Along with O'Rourke, Kevin Reilly was one of the very few players to show up well for out-of-sorts Meath who must now go back to the drawing board.

Next up for Meath is a home game against Armagh on Saturday 1st March.

 

NFL DIV 2 RESULTS

Donegal 1-16, Galway 0-12.
Laois 2-8,Louth 0-11 Laois 2-8.
Monaghan 0-20, Meath 0-8.

FRIDAY

Down 2-7, Armagh 2-5

Jimmy Geoghegan.