Battling hurlers survive red card to earn a precious point

Meath's visit to the impressive McHale Park in Castlebar for Sunday's NHL Div 2B clash against The Royal County salvaged a draw from a late Noel Kirby point after they were forced to play with 14 men for 52 minutes. The red-card incident was the 'ugly' part of the performance, not that full-back Enda Fitzgerald's altercation with Mayo's Christy McCrudden was in any way x-rated, but it warranted that 18th minute departure ticket and Galway referee Christopher Brown duly obliged. He also brandished a yellow card in the direction of McCrudden after the Mayo man received attention and got to his feet rubbing his throat. The 'bad' part was Meath's inability to curtail Mayo in the opening quarter despite a dream start that saw them claim a 1-1 to 0-1 advantage inside four minutes. However, playing against the first-half wind, Meath endured a 20-minute barren spell on the scoreboard subsequently on the way to a 1-6 to 1-9 interval deficit. And the 'good' was evident when the 14 men produced a determined second-half performance that saw Meath take a 1-15 to 2-9 advantage into the last 12 minutes. After conceding a late penalty goal Meath had to launch another recovery mission that was also successful as they salvaged a draw in the closing minutes. The only real negative out of this morale-boosting display is that Meath now need favourable results elsewhere to make it to the final and they must also take maximum points against Roscommon and Armagh in their remaining games. Meath wing-back Sean Heavey was one of the unsung heroes on a day when many were needed. The Kildalkey player rowed in with three points from play, two before the break and was a constant threat down the right wing. Mayo, forced to line-out without dual star Keith Higgins, who played for the footballers in the following NFL Div 1 game against Down, had useful performers in Kenny Feeney and Cathal Freeman. Feeney started in the half-forward line and claimed 1-6 with his 27th minute goal arriving after he began to lurk dangerously around the Meath square. Freeman scored four points from play and was a major asset for the Connacht men. Meath started well with a Stephen Clynch point after 20 seconds and a Peter Durnin goal in the fourth minute, but points from Freeman (four) and Feeney (three frees) were augmented by a well-struck Patrick Connell '65' for Mayo. Following Fitzgerald's departure Meath manager Cillian Farrell sacrificed Durnin with Longwood substitute Damien Healy taking over at full-back and Mike Cole was introduced into the full-forward line for David Raleigh. Meath got going again with points from Nicky Horan (free) and Heavey, but Feeney's goal rocked the Royals who found an inspirational response from Clynch. The Kilmessan man scored a fantastic point from a long-range sideline cut with Ciaran Fitzsimons and Heavy splitting the posts from play to leave Meath adrift by three points at the break. Three minutes into the second-half Meath fell further behind when Stephen Hoban found the net for Mayo, but that was their last score for 20 minutes as they emulated Meath's first-half fade-out. Meath produced some fine hurling and the points flowed from Horan (four, one free), Heavey, Stephen Donoghue, Clynch, Kirby and Cole before Feeney (two) and Hoban got Mayo back on terms (1-15 to 2-12) with seven minutes remaining. Following a goalmouth scramble Mayo were mightily relieved when Donoghue's effort to steer the sliotar to the net was thwarted by the post, but Clynch restored the Royal lead with a great solo point. At the other end, Meath were unable to halt a run by Brian Hunt until he made it into the big square and the resultant penalty was expertly converted by Mayo goalkeeper Donal O'Brien. That was a serious advantage to Mayo who were now roared on by the quickly arriving football supporters, but Meath silenced the cheers with those late points from Horan (free) and Kirby. Mayo - D O'Brien (1-0 penalty); A Brennan, A Connolly, S Connell; S Morley, P Connell (0-1), G Henry; P O'Grady, D McConn; D McTighe, C McCrudden, C Freeman (0-4); B Hunt, K Feeney (1-6 five frees), S Hoban (1-1). Subs - P O'Flynn for O'Grady 40 mins, D McDonnell for McCrudden 41m. Meath - Shane McGann; William Mahady, Enda Fitzgerald, Cormac Reilly; Sean Heavey (0-3), Enda Keogh, Stephen Morris; Stephen Donoghue (0-1), Stephen Clynch (0-4 one sideline); Eoin Marsh, Noel Kirby (0-2), Ciaran Fitzsimons (0-1); Peter Durnin (1-0), Nicky Horan (0-6 five frees), David Raleigh. Subs - Damien Healy for Durnin 20 mins, Mike Cole (0-1) for Raleigh 30m, Paul Fagan for Fitzsimons 46m. Referee - Christopher Brown (Galway). Mayo produced a bit of the good, the bad and the ugly.