Meath win in Ennis
Meath narrowly missed out on promotion from NFL Div 2, but they impressed in their endeavors as they inflicted rare home defeat on Clare in Cusack Park Ennis with a 3-19 to 1-12 victory.
After a tense opening half Meath kicked on in a blistering 11 minute spell afrter the break that saw them turn a one-point interval lead into a 10-point advantage with Cillian O'Sullivan helping himself to a brace of goals.
Cillian could have become the second O'Sullivan brother to bag a hat-trick of goals in 24 hours soon after, his brother Mark hit three goals for Meath hurlers in their NHL Div 2B win over Wicklow on Saturday, but he selflessly laidoff for Brian Power to score Meath's third goal.
The hugely entertaining and wide open first-half started at a blistering pace with Meath using the wind to open up a 0-6 to 0-1 lead by the 12th minute.
Eamon Wallace got the ball rolling with the opening score after 28 seconds and a minute later Sean Tobin doubled the visitor's advantage.
Wallace's impressive start continued when he added this second score and four minutes later Donal Lenihan opened his account to make it 0-4 to 0-0.
Jamie Malone stung Conor McGill for pace to get Clare off the mark, but Meath continued to dominate with Graham Reilly using a mark wisely to play a one-two with Bryan McMahon and slot over Meath's fifth point.
Padraic Harnan galloped forward to add to Meath's tally, but then Clare started to find their groove with the benefit of some poor Meath discipline.
Two converted frees from Eoin Cleary and one from play for the St Jospeh's Miltown man closed the gap to two points before Meath created the first serious goal threat when Donal Keogan and Lenihan linked up to centre for Reilly, but his palmed effort sailed over the bar to make it 0-7 to0-4.
John Hayes, who was lucky to escape an earlier black card for deliberately blocking Keogan's run, added Clare's fifth score in the 18thminute, but again Reilly responded for Meath to make it 0-8 to 0-5.
Keelan Sexton found space in behind the Meath rearguard to fist over and when Ciaran Russell pointed four minutes later there was just the minimum between the sides.
Reilly and Cathal O'Connor traded points in the closing minutes of the half as Meath took a slight 0-9 to 0-8 advantage to the interval.
It only took a minute of the second period for Meath to put the issue to bed.
Reilly's point after 15 seconds was followed seconds later by a Cillian O'Sullivan goal which broke Clare's spirit and gave Meath the boost they needed.
David Tubridy responded with a '45' but Meath fired over three points from Bryan McMahon, James Toher ('45') and Reilly before O'Sullivan bagged his second goal to make it 2-13 to 0-9 in the 47th minute.
A third goal 90 seconds later when Brian Power palmed O'Sullivan's centre to the net prompted mass substitutions and with McMahon and Reilly adding points to make it 3-15 to 0-9 it threatened to get embarrassing for Clare.
The Banner's top scorer Cleary pointed their 10th score, but another Toher point (free) was followed by points from Joey Wallace and James McEntee as Meath strolled 17 points clear.
A Harnan fisted score either side of Cleary's free and Jamie Malone's points ended Meath's tally.
Cleary got in for a goal in injury-time and added a a free, but it was only papering over a poor performance as Meath marched on.
Meath - Paddy O'Rourke; Donal Keogan, Conor McGill, Donnacha Tobin; Padraic Harnan (0-2), Brian Power (1-0), Shane McEntee; Bryan Menton, James Toher (0-2 one '45', one free); Eamon Wallace (0-2), Graham Reilly (0-7), Cillian O’Sullivan (2-0); Bryan McMahon (0-2), Sean Tobin (0-1), Donal Lenihan (0-1). Subs – James McEntee (0-1) for Tobin 44 mins, Joey Wallace (0-1) for Lenihan 48m, Ruairi O Coileain for Reilly 55m, Mickey Burke for S McEntee 58m, Adam Flanagan for Power 59m, Willie Carry for McMahon 65m.
Clare - Joe Hayes; M McMahon, K Harnett, John Hayes (0-1); L Markham, G Kelly, D Ryan; C Russell (0-1), C O’Connor (0-1); C O’Dea, K Sexton (0-1), S Brennan; E Cleary (1-6 four frees), D Tubridy (0-1 '45'), J Malone (0-2). Subs – E Collins for Markham 44 mins, D Egan for Tubridy 53m, S Malone for Sexton 55m, M O'Neill for O'Dea 58m, D Nagle for Harnett 62m, D Bohannon for Russell 67m.
Referee - John Hickey (Carlow).