Tired Meath slump to disappointing defeat

The result matters not a jot for Meath, but the nature of their fourth quarter fade out was disappointing as Cork hit seven points on the trot to claim a crucial 1-15 to 1-11 NFL Div 2 victory at Pairc Tailteann today.

Victory moved Cork away from relegation danger and back into contention for a guaranteed place in the Sam Maguire Cup in the summer, defeat was of no consequence to the hosts.

With safety already assured and their place in the All-Ireland secured by their Tailteann Cup win last year there was nothing at stake for Meath and their final quarter fade-out might have been a consequence of that.

With just pride to play for Meath impressed for three-quarters of the contest and when they produced a goal from a move that would've have been at home in the 1980s they looked in a strong position to inflict more worries on troubled Cork.

However, that 54th minute goal from Mathew Costello was Meath's penultimate score. Ruairi Kinsella added a point two minutes later to make it 1-11 to 1-8, then Cork took over.

Maybe it was the extra work they got into their bodies at their warm weather training camp in Portugal or maybe it was the tiring legs of a stretched Meath team that has played a lot of college and inter-county football in the space of eight or nine weeks - maybe it was a combination of both - as Cork dominated the closing stages and claimed the points.

Meath played plenty of inventive, constructive football. They defended well, but Cork too had their moments and had enough in the tank in the closing stages.

Despite the decent passages of play there was a lot of missed chances with only seven of the 19 shots from play converted and only 12 of the 25 shots overall resulting in scores.

In contrast Cork scored from 16 of their 25 shots with 1-14 of their tally coming from play.

It took Meath 22 minutes to score from play and despite opening the scoring in the fourth minute from an Eoghan Frayne free they found themselves behind 90 seconds later when Conor Corbett raced away from Adam O'Neill before finishing well to the net.

Shane Walsh squandered a decent goal chance for the hosts in the 10th minute, but Cork also had their chances with Brian O'Driscoll hitting the upright and having two subsequent follow-up chances brilliantly blocked.

Goalkeeper Sean Brennan cut the deficit with the first of his three converted '45's, but Cork continued to show a bit more cut and thrust with Brian Hurley and Chris Og Jones pointing to make it 1-2 to 0-2 by the 20th minute.

Ruairi Kinsella finished a patient move to grab Meath's first score from play, but again Cork responded impressively with Hurley on target.

Hurley was denied another score by an unbelievable block from Donal Keogan, but O'Driscoll took advantage of the loose ball to fly kick over the bar to stretch his side's lead to 1-4 to 0-3.

That proved to be Cork's last score of the half as Meath produced a fine finish to the period with two excellent points from Frayne, a superb score from 45 metres from Walsh and another converted '45' from Brennan to make it 0-7 to 1-4 at the break.

Cork restored their lead 40 seconds after the interval with the dangerous Corbett on target. The Rebels looked set to bag a second goal when Sean Powter centred to Matty Taylor, but Daithi McGowan worked back well to intercept and clear the danger.

Corbett did add another point in the 38th minute to make it 1-6 to 0-7, but Meath got back on level terms within five minutes as Costello converted a free from the edge of the D and Brennan added his third '45'.

Powter edged Cork ahead with his first score, but Meath levelled again when a route one ball from Walsh was brilliantly gathered by Costello above Daniel O'Mahony and the Dunshaughlin man converted.

Less than a minute later another long, direct ball from Walsh was plucked from the air by Costello and he finished to the net to give Meath the lead for the first time, 1-10 to 1-7 at the end of the third quarter.

Steven Sherlock and Kinsella traded points as Meath retained their three-point cushion with eight minutes of the 70 remaining.

However that Kinsella score was Meath's last as Cork finished with a flourish with wing-backs Luke Fahy (two) and Taylor pointing, while Corbett, Sherlock (two, one free) and Mark Cronin were also on target as Cork claimed the spoils.

SCORERS

Cork - Conor Corbett 1-3; Steven Sherlock 0-3 one free; Luke Fahy 0-2; Brian Hurley 0-2; Chris Og Jones 0-1; Brian O'Driscoll 0-1; Sean Powter 0-1; Matty Taylor 0-1; Mark Cronin 0-1.

Meath - Mathew Costello 1-2 one free; Eoghan Frayne 0-3 one frees; Sean Brennan 0-3 '45s'; Ruairi Kinsella 0-2; Shane Walsh 0-1.

TEAMS

Cork - Christopher Kelly; Kevin Flahive, Daniel O'Mahony, Tommy Walsh; Luke Fahy, Sean Meehan, Matty Taylor; Ian Maguire, Colm O'Callaghan; Sean Powter, Paul Walsh, Brian O'Driscoll; Chris Og Jones, Conor Corbett, Brian Hurley. Subs - Ruairi Deane for Walsh 44m, Steven Sherlock for Hurley 47m, Mark Cronin for Jones, Killian O'Hanlon for O'Driscoll both 60m, Eoghan McSweeney for Deane 64m.

Meath - Sean Brennan; Donal Keogan, Adam O'Neill, Brian O'Halloran; Ciaran Caulfield, Darragh Campion, Sean Coffey; Cian McBride, Cathal Hickey; Daithi McGowan, Eoghan Frayne, Jack O'Connor; Shane Walsh, Mathew Costello, Ruairi Kinsella. Subs - Michael Murphy for Campion 26m, Danny Dixon for O'Connor 49m, Adam McDonnell for Kinsella 56m, Diarmuid Moriarty for McBride 69m, Harry O'Higgins for Caulfield 72m.

Referee - Thomas Murphy (Galway).