Meath slump to heavy defeat in Salthill

Today's trip to Salthill will not be easily forgotten, but for all the wrong reasons as Meath slumped to a 0-6 to 1-14 loss to Galway in their opening game of what was supposed to be a NFL Div 2 campaign to look forward too.

Meath manager Andy McEntee was so frustrated by the performance that he didn't perform any media duties and left Pearse Stadium without talking to the local media.

Losing by 11 points will hit Meath hard, but even more worrying was the poor level of the performance as the visitors failed to score in the opening half and fared little better after the break when backed by a ferociously strong wind.

Playing with the advantage of the wind in the opening half Galway dominated possession, but Meath defended resolutely for the opening 23 minutes as they restricted their hosts to just three points and made them work very hard to create clearcut openings.

The sight of corner-forward Joey Wallace dropping back to pick up Robert Finnerty in the full-back line was evidence of Meath's defensive fortitude, but eventually Galway settled and as they grew, Meath ran out of ideas and lost concentration.

The opening 23 minutes were more than acceptable from Meath. It took Galway eight minutes to score from play with Shane Walsh adding to his fifth minute free to double Galway's lead.

An error in midfield gifted Galway a turn over from which Cillian McDaid benefited and extended his side's lead to 0-3 to 0-0 by the 12th minute.

Meath's first attack ended with a poor effort from James Conlon, but the defensive structure was still good even though Finnerty almost found the net as Shane McEntee cleared off the line.

Indiscipline and poor handling in very difficult conditions led to more and more problems as the half wore on. Their defensive work rate took a toll and as Meath wilted Walsh took advantage, stretching his side's lead to five points with a brace of frees.

The real dagger to the heart of Meath's ambitions came in the 29th minute when Walsh's long delivery from a sideline was fumbled by the Meath defence and Tomo Culhane pounced to palm to the net.

Walsh added a point from a free from the next attack to make it 1-6 to 0-0 and in the final five minutes of the half Owen Gallagher, Walsh (free) and Finnerty, whose stinging drive was tipped over brilliantly by Harry Hogan, kicked points to secure a 1-9 to 0-0 interval lead.

Meath were expected to come out for the second-half with all guns blazing with the near hurricane at their backs, but instead it was Walsh who extended Galway's lead within three minutes of the restart and 90 seconds later Paul Kelly also got on the mark to make it 1-11 to 0-0.

Apart from the heroes welcome given to Galway's Ladies All-Ireland Club SFC champions Kilkerrin-Clonberne, who were honoured on the pitch at half-time, the biggest cheer of the day was an ironic one which came in the 45th minute when Joey Wallace finally opened Meath's account.

Galway were denied a second goal by the fingertips of Robin Clarke who deflected the ball away from Patrick Kelly and it was Meath who struck next with Jordan Morris kicking the score of the day following a brilliant catch to make it 0-2 to 1-11.

Finnerty replied with a fisted point and Walsh continued to impress with a point from play as he restored Galway's 14-point cushion.

Morris (free) and Eoin Harkin doubled Meath's tally by the 66th minute, but by that stage they had kicked 12 wides and the game was long since over as a contest.

Matt Costello scored Meath's third point on the trot and after Kieran Molloy replied for Galway it was Meath's Shane Walsh who closed the scoring with almost the last kick of a game that every Meath supporter will want to quickly forget.

SCORERS

Galway - Shane Walsh 0-8 five frees; Tomo Culhane 1-0; Robert Finnerty 0-2; Cillian McDaid 0-1; Owen Gallagher 0-1; Paul Kelly 0-1; Kieran Molloy 0-1.

Meath - Jordan Morris 0-2 one free; Joey Wallace 0-1; Eoin Harkin 0-1; Matt Costello 0-1; Shane Walsh 0-1.

TEAMS

Galway - Conor Flaherty; Kieran Molloy, Sean Kelly, Liam Silke; Dylan McHugh, John Daly, Cillian McDaid; Paul Kelly, Matthew Tierney; Owen Gallagher, Robert Finnerty, Finnian O Laoi; Shane Walsh, Paul Conroy, Tomo Culhane. Subs - Cathal Sweeney for Culhane 43 mins, Patrick Kelly for O Laoi 54m, Dessie Conneely for Finnerty 57m, Tony Gill for McDaid 62m. Cormac McWalter for Walsh 66m.

Meath - Harry Hogan; Robin Clarke, Eoin Harkin, Ronan Ryan; Cathal Hickey, Shane McEntee, Donal Keogan; Padraic Harnan, Ethan Devine; Cillian O'Sullivan, Bryan McMahon, Mathew Costello; James Conlon, Shane Walsh, Joey Wallace. Subs - Jordan Morris for McMahon 30 mins, Thomas O'Reilly for Conlon 45m, Eamon Wallace for O'Sullivan 48m, Saran O Fionnagain for J Wallace 52m, Gavin McGowan for Hickey 64m.

Referee - Patrick Maguire (Longford).