Meath cruise to first win of league campaign

Vastly improved Meath eased their NFL Div 2 relegation worries with a first win over the campaign over Cork in Pairc Tailteann today by 1-18 to 1-10.

Meath were exceptional in the opening half against a limited Cork outfit and when they hit 1-4 in quick succession in the third quarter, including a fortunate goal from a Jordan Morris penalty, it left them in the driving seat.

Despite losing the toss, again, Meath started well with goalkeeper Harry Hogan kicking the first of his five points from frees after a minute.

Shane Walsh doubled that lead two minutes later before Cork got off the mark in the fifth minute with a point from Stephen Sherlock.

Meath ran the ball well against the wind and cut holes in the Cork rearguard with ease and regularity.

Cathal Hickey and Ronan Jones combined to set up Bryan Menton for a point on his return, but Cork went close to finding the net when Brian Hurley's dipping effort dropped over the bar with Hogan scrambling to his back post.

Cork indiscipline gifted Meath frees following fouls on Thomas O'Reilly and Jones as Hogan used his booming boot to convert both placed balls and extend Meath's lead to 0-5 to 0-2 after 10 minutes.

Sherlock (free) and Cillian O'Sullivan traded points before Cork's best spell yielded two points from Sherlock (one free and one '45') and a fine effort from Hurley which restored parity in the 22nd minute, 0-6 each.

Jordan Morris created a goal chance out of nothing but fired over to edge Meath ahead again and following a great pass from Walsh Morris doubled his tally and extended the hosts lead to 0-8 to 0-6.

Hogan landed two more brilliant frees into the wind to put four between the teams and after both sides squandered decent chances it was O'Sullivan who secured a 0-11 to 0-6 interval lead for Meath.

Sherlock narrowed the deficit with a free a minute after the restart, but play became very fractious with substitutions, injuries and fouls disrupting the game.

Blake Murphy went close to finding the net for Cork, but his palmed effort came back off the woodwork, while Meath also squandered a decent goal chance as Eoin Harkin opted to pass to O'Sullivan instead of going himself, but the pass was intercepted.

Cathal O'Mahony cut the deficit further 12 minutes into the second-half, but a brilliant point from Jason Scully and a fine effort from James McEntee restored Meath's five-point cushion.

Menton's second score made it 0-14 to 0-8 and then came the defining moment as Jason Scully was hauled down by Kieran Histon and even though Jordan Morris's spot-kick hit the post it rebounded off the back of Micheal Martin and ended up in the net - it was the type of luck that has been deserting Meath all campaign.

O'Reilly stretched the lead to 10 points before Cork threatened a mini-revival with O'Mahony pointing before Joe Grimes fired an easy goal to make it 1-9 to 1-15 with 14 minutes remaining.

However the closing stages produced little in the way of quality football.

Matt Costello and McEntee stretched Meath's lead to 1-17 to 0-9 and in the closing seconds Rory Maguire and Joey Wallace traded points as Meath cruised to the win that eases their relegation worries, but leaves Cork in deep trouble.

SCORERS

Meath - Harry Hogan 0-5 frees; Jordan Morris 1-2 1-0 penalty; James McEntee 0-2; Cillian O'Sullivan 0-2; Bryan Menton 0-2; Thomas O'Reilly 0-1; Matt Costello 0-1; Joey Wallace 0-1; Shane Walsh 0-1; Jason Scully 0-1.

Cork - Stephen Sherlock 0-5 three frees, one '45'; Joe Grimes 1-0; Brian Hurley 0-2; Cathal O'Mahony 0-2; Rory Maguire 0-1.

TEAMS

Meath - Harry Hogan; Robin Clarke, Eoin Harkin, Jordan Muldoon; Cathal Hickey, Padraic Harnan, Donal Keogan; Bryan Menton, Ronan Jones; Cillian O'Sullivan, Thomas O'Reilly, Matt Costello; Jason Scully, Shane Walsh, Jordan Morris. Subs - James McEntee for Hickey half-time, Eamon Wallace for Scully 59m, Joey Wallace for O'Sullivan, Bryan McMahon for Walsh both 65m, Ronan Ryan for Harkin 70m.

Cork - Micheal Martin; Kevin O'Donovan, Kevin Flahive, Tadhg Corkery; Rory Maguire, Kieran Histon, Mattie Taylor; Ian Maguire, Shane Merritt; Daniel Dineen, Fionn Herlihy, Colm O'Callaghan; Stephen Sherlock, Brian Hurley, Blake Murphy. Subs - Joe Grimes for Merritt 31 mins, Cathal O'Mahony for Herlihy, Cian Kiely for Taylor both half-time, Paul Ring for Corkery 44m, Mark Cronin for Murphy 57m, Brian Hayes for Hurley 61m, John O'Rourke for O'Callaghan 69m.

Referee - Liam Devenney (Mayo).