Meath lose their way against Carlow

With the sun beaming down like it was early summer Meath lost their way and shipped a big 1-12 to 4-17 defeat to Carlow in the Leinster MHC at sunsplashed Pairc Tailteann today.

The home team were competitive for the opening half but Carlow found another gear in the second-half and drew away to win. Meath's only goal was scored by Kyle Ennis and that was in the closing stages.

Meath's tendency to leak goals proved fatal to their ambitions with Carlow's Cian Quirke helping himself to 3-1 with Alex Delaney also finding he net for them.

Kyle Ennis found the net for Meath from a free late on but it only put a better reflection on the scoreboard. Ennis topscored for the home side with 1-5.

While Meath were competitive in the opening half they were very much left trailing in their oppnents' slipsteam in a one-sided second-half.

Meath have two games left in their section against Derry and Antrim and can't afford another slip up.

The previous week Meath seniors were relegated from the NHL Div 2A when they lost to Carlow.

SCORERS

Carlow - Cian Quirke 3-1; Alex Delaney 1-7 three frees, one '65'; Shane Kelly 0-3; Padrig Kavanagh 0-2; John Phiri 0-1; Tim Brennan 0-1; Billy Nolan 0-1; Jack Cummins 0-1.

Meath - Kyle Ennis 1-5 three frees, one '65'; George Douglas 0-2; Cian Colhoun 0-1; Cathal Regan 0-1.

TEAMS

Meath - Luke Gallagher; Malik Ryan, John Fitzharris, Harry Cahill; Jamie Duffy, Caelum Casserly, Cian Colhoun; George Douglas, Cormac Doyle; Ronan Conheady, Daniel Boyd, Daragh Heffernan; Kyle Ennis, Evan Nolan, Cathal Regan. Subs - Shane McCormack for Regan 29 mins, Pauric Horan for Doyle half-time, Alex Brady for Boyd 35m, Eoghan Nugent for Nolan 53m, Tadgh Dardis for Conheady 56m.

Carlow - Joe Bermingham; Tadhg Hutton, Shane Kirwan, Mark Dundun; Tadgh O'Neill, Conall Fitzpatrick, Sean Buggy; John Phiri, Tim Brennan; Billy Nolan, Cian Quirke, Darragh Byrne; Padraic Kavanagh, Alex Delaney, Shane Kelly. Subs - Jack Griffith for Buggy, Jack Cummins for Byrne both 45 mins, Dylan McGrath for Kavanagh, Conor de Lacey for Brennan 52m, Padraic Kearney for O'Neill 55m.

Referee - Brian Kearney (Kildare).

See photos, match report and Meath manager Ger O'Neill's views in next issue of the Meath Chronicle.