Weir's men fall short as Kerry awaits

For a short, tantalising moment or two in the second-half of the Joe McDonagh Cup clash with Meath and Down at Ballycran today it looked like Nick Weir's Royal County side might, just might do it. They looked like they might just end a wretched run of defeats against the Ulster side .

They travelled deep into the heartland of hurling in the Mourne County for their opening tie in this year's competition and enjoyed a spell of dominance that suggested they could get over the line first, only to end up losing 2-16 to 1-27.

They had trailed 0-9 to 0-14 at the interval after playing the opening half with a strong breeze at their back.

However with 48 minutes on the clock Alan Douglas intercepted a puck out and fired to the net to leave the sides briefly level (1-13 to 0-16) - but the visitors were unable to push on from there.

Instead Down found an an extra gear and it was they who fired over a sortie of scores in the closing stags to claim victory and their get their cup ambitions back on track after losing to Kerry the previous week.

Now Meath simply have to defeat Kerry next weekend when the two sides clash at Pairc Tailteann.

Meath had an indifferent opening half today but the improved considerably after the break and despite the two goals scored by Douglas and Jack Regan (who found the net from a free in front of the posts on 52 minutes) defeat was to be their fate.

This was an uncompromising, physical encounter and one that Meath will look back on with some regret. Regan - who had a fine game, scoring 1-8, five frees - missed a penalty in the second-half and that was one of the chances that got away.

James Toher, Darragh Kelly, Adam Gannon, Paddy Conneely and Ian Bermingham all pointed for Meath but they were unable to subdue a vibrant Down side.

Ryan McCusker netted for the home side while Paul Sheehan top-scored for them with a big tally of 11 points, nine frees, while Tim Prenter hit a hat-trick of points. In all 12 players contributed to Down's final tally which says something about the threat they posed.

Down also had officials Jarlath Donnelly and Dermot Donnelly on duty and they were a great help to the Meath Chronicle in sorting out communication issues and details of the local team on a day when the local GAA folk in Ballycran showed plenty of warm hospitality except on the pitch.

SCORERS

Down - Paul Sheehan 0-11, nine frees; Ryan McClusker 1-1; Tim Prenter 0-3; Daithi Sands 0-2; Eoaghan Sands 0-2; Phelim Savage 0-2; Liam Savage 0-1; Chris Egan 0-1; Ronan Costello 0-1; Jordan Doran 0-1, Conor Woods 0-1; Oisin MacManus 0-1.

Meath - Jack Regan 1-8, five frees; Alan Douglas 1-0; Adam Gannon 0-2; Darragh Kelly 0-2; James Toher 0-2; Ian Bermingham 0-1; Paddy Conneely 0-1.

TEAMS

Down - Stephen Keith; Michael Hughes, John McManus, Matt Conlon; Barry Trainor, Conor Woods, Liam Savage; Donal Hughes, Tim Prenter; Ryan McCusker, Paul Sheehan, Chris Egan; Pearse Og McCrickard, Eoghan Sands, Daithai Sands. Subs - Ronan Costello for Egan 46 mins, Jordan Doran for D Sands, Oisin McManus for Sheehan both 55m, Phelim Savage for Prenter 65m.

Meath - Charlie Ennis; Ger Murphy, Shane Whitty, Sean Geraghty; James Kelly, Darragh Kelly, Keith Keoghan; Stephen Morris, James Toher; Ian Bermingham, Jack Regan, Mark O'Sullivan; Adam Gannon, Alan Douglas, Paddy Conneely. Subs - Pauric O'Hanrahan for Morris 24 mins, Eamon O Donnchadha for Conneely, Sean Quigley for Bermingham both 53m, Nickey Potterton for Gannon 64m, Conneely for Regan 72m.

Referee - Patrick Murphy (Carlow).

See full match report, analysis and quotes as well as photographs from the match in the next issue of the Meath Chronicle.