Goals lose games...Meath stumble to defeat in London

Meath's Christy Ring Cup ambitions were left in the balance this afternoon as London claimed a surprise 4-17 to 1-24 victory in McGovern Park Ruislip.

Off the back of their victory over Mayo in last week's opener Meath needed a win over the Exiles today to maintain their place at the top of the table, but came unstuck as London secured a deserved win with a couple of fortuitous goals helping their cause.

Who would be a goalkeeper?

Charlie Ennis was desperately unlucky for London's opening goal after two minutes. He made a stunning save five minutes into the second-half to maintain Meath's lead, but then two errors midway through the period gifted the hosts goals which propelled them to victory.

Meath will lament the concession of goals, but they weren't all Ennis's fault as the defence should have dealt better with the circumstances they were presented with.

Ronan Crowley punished all indiscipline with a brilliant display, while Meath conceded too much space to allow their hosts build scores.

London never gave up the ghost. Even when Meath's perceived superior fitness was supposed to kick in London found a way to contain the Royals with Sean Glynn dropping deep to help snuff out the threat of Eamon O Donnchadha.

London hassled, harried and made life difficult all over the field, while in contrast Meath afforded their hosts too much time and space, especially in the opening quarter and were punished.

Maybe there was a still a bit of travel weariness in the legs as Meath started slowly and allowed London open the scoring inside 15 seconds.

Just over a minute later they had the ball in the net when Conor O'Carroll reacted quickest to a loose ball after Ennis did brilliantly to stop the initial effort.

With the steady drizzle waking Meath from their slumber they responded impressively with two points from the threatening O Donnchadha either side of a Jack Regan score closing the gap to 0-3 to 1-1.

The outstanding Crowley and equally dangerous Jack Goulding settled London again with the next two scores before Dylan Dawson and Crowley (free) pointed either side of a Nicky Potterton score to restore the Exiles four-point lead.

A superb score from James Kelly and a well-worked team score finished by Mikey Cole cut the deficit to two again, but London continued to play on the front foot and after Crowley landed another free they bagged their second goal in the 17th minute as Glynn cut through the heart of the Meath defence before setting up Niall Broderick for a fine finish to make it 2-6 to 0-6.

That proved to be London's last score for almost 18 minutes as Meath took control and looked more than capable of kicking on to secure the win.

Kelly got the ball rolling with a magnificent point from the left. Regan replicated it with one from the right and after his third from play Regan landed his first from a free to make it 0-10 to 2-6.

Martin Healy and Kelly restored parity by the 30th minute, but a couple of uncharacteristic missed frees from Regan kept London in the frame.

It was Regan with his fourth from play who gave Meath the lead for the first time in the 31st minute, but London converted another free from Crowley to ensure parity at the break, 2-7 to 0-13.

Jack Goulding edged London ahead two minutes after the break, but then Meath took a giant leap when O Donnchadha kept the ball alive and set up Kelly who scrambled the ball to the net to make it 1-13 to 2-8.

Moments later Ennis made an unbelievable save to deny Goulding, but Crowley did cut the deficit.

Another magnificent point from distance from Regan was followed by just his second from a free as Meath looked comfortable, 1-15 to 2-9- then disaster struck.

Daithi Heffernan's long ball was batted down by Ennis, but Dawson pulled the loose play to the net.

Two outstanding scores from Damien Healy were the perfect response for Meath and when Regan landed another excellent point to make it 1-18 to 3-9 at the three-quarters it looked good for the visitors.

London still looked threatening as James Toher cleared off the line and in the same counter-attack the Trim lofted over to put four points between the teams.

However, that was Meath's last score for eight minutes and in that spell London with 1-2 with Glynn and Crowley (free) landing points either side of a flicked goal from Fiachra O'Keeffe which Sean Geraghty and Ennis didn't deal with.

Padraig O'Hanrahan ended Meath's barren spell and with eight minutes remaining Potterton landed a score to edge his side in front again, 1-21 to 4-11.

The closing stages were tit-for-tat Crowley (two) exchanging points with O Donnchadha and Potterton as Meath maintained their lead, 1-23 to 4-13.

However instead of fading away London found a new lease of life. Two more points from Crowley were followed by a 70th minute equaliser from Regan, but in the three minutes of injury-time Crowley landed another free to give London the lead and they wrapped up the win with a superb sideline cut from Goulding to compound Meath's misery.

SCORERS

London - Ronan Crowley 0-12 seven frees; Dylan Dawson 1-1; Niall Broderick 1-0; Conor O'Carroll 1-0; Fiachra O'Keeffe 1-0; Jack Goulding 0-3 one sideline; Sean Glynn 0-1.

Meath - Jack Regan 0-9 two frees; James Kelly 1-3; Eamon O Donnchadha 0-3; Nicky Potterton 0-3; Damien Healy 0-2; James Toher 0-1; Martin Healy 0-1; Padraig O'Hanrahan 0-1; Mikey Cole 0-1;

TEAMS

London - Padraig Collins; Conor Byrne, Stephen Bardon, Daithi Heffernan; Evan Kelly, Padraig Muldoon, Eoghan Ryan; Ja#ck Goulding, Niall Broderick; Conor O'Carroll, Conor McCormack, Rory Lodge; Sean Glynn, Dylan Dawson, Ronan Crowley. Subs - Fiachra O'Keeffe for McCormack, Daithi Barron for Kelly both half-time, Kevin Fennelly for Muldoon 57m, Liam Hayes for Broderick, Colin Nelson for Lodge both 60m.

Meath - Charlie Ennis; Gery Dwane, Shane Brennan, Brendan McKeon; Niall McLarnon, James Toher, Simon Ennis; Sean Geraghty, Martin Healy; Padraig O'Hanrahan, Jack Regan, James Kelly; Mikey Cole, Eamon Og O Donnchadha, Nicky Potterton. Subs - Pa Ryan for Dwane 32 mins, Damien Healy for McLarnon 40m, Sean Quigley for Cole 53m,

Referee - Tarlach Conway (Derry).