Meath back on track with Cavan crushing
NFL DIV 2 Impressive Royals dominate to claim first win of campaign
When it mattered most Meath produced one of their best performances for many years as they claimed their first NFL Div 2 points with a resounding 3-4-13 (30) to 0-6-8 (20) victory over Cavan at Pairc Tailteann today.
While not necessarily a 'must-win-game' this was certainly a game that had to be won if Meath were to maintain any promotion hopes - a defeat would have turned focus to a relegation battle.
Having tallied 21 points in the loss to Cork, Meath matched that against Cavan, but the addition of three goals gave the Royals the cushion they needed to kick on.
The goals were not scores the two Cavan goalkeepers will reflect on with much pleasure.
The first in the 18th minute came when Seamus Lavin turned over possession in his own defence and as Meath broke Cavan goalkeeper Gary O'Rourke was caught out of his goals and Ronan Jones produced an excellent finish from over 50 metres, that made it 1-8 to 0-5.
The second goal in the 57th minute put paid to Cavan's chances as replacement goalkeeper Nevin O'Donnell was beaten to James Conlon's short point attempt by Jones who climbed highest to fist to the net to make it 2-19 to 0-15.
Five minutes later O'Donnell let Jordan Morris's tame soccer-style effort dribble through his legs to stretch Meath's lead to 3-20 to 0-17.
While the goals were decisive they weren't the only difference between the sides as Meath were by far the better team and played some very attractive, fast-paced cohesive football.
Two-pointers sustained Cavan's challenge with 12 of their 20 points coming from long range efforts as Gearoid McKiernan landed three such scores in the second period. In old money Meath won 3-17 to 0-14, but with six of Cavan's 14 points coming from outside the two-point arc Meath can be pleased with their defensive return too.
After Jack Flynn and Darragh Lovett (free) traded scores Meath moved two points clear when Eoghan Frayne landed one from outside the 40-metre arc.
Lovett pulled one point back when Meath were penalised for not keeping three up, but another two-pointer from Frayne, this time from a free which was moved forward 50 metres after a Cavan player didn't hand the ball back and then brought back outside the arc, extended the hosts lead to 0-5 to 0-2.
Morris opened his account with a free before Lovett lofted over a huge two-point free to make it 0-4 to 0-6. That gap was maintained when Shane Walsh and Dara McVitty exchanged points but then Cavan went close to finding the net when Ronan Jones's pass went astray and Conor Madden shot for a goal from a long way out with Billy Hogan caught upfield, but Donal Keogan was alert to the danger and got back to clear.
Eoin Harkin fisted over the bar to make it 0-8 to 0-5 before Jones took advantage of the open goal to fire the opening goal. Lovett responded with a pointed free, but Menton with a huge two-pointer, Frayne from a mark which was won by Jones and Morris with a superb score from just inside 40-metres extended Meath's lead to 1-12 to 0-6.
Lovett closed the half with a brace of frees to offer Cavan slim hope at half-time, 0-8 to 1-12.
A free from Morris and a 39-metre point from Frayne stretched Meath's lead to nine points, but two pointers from Oisin Kiernan and Gearoid McKiernan, from another free after Meath were caught for not having three up, closed the gap to 0-12 to 1-14, but Frayne and Ruairi Kinsella settled the Royals again with fine scores.
A tap over free from Frayne, that was moved in 50 metres because of dissent, restored an eight-point cushion, but another two-pointer from Lovett and a fisted score from Madden kept Cavan in the game.
Billy Hogan strode forward to land a two-point free before Jones rose highest for Meath's second goal - game over.
Kinsella added his second before McKiernan landed another two-pointer for Cavan, but with nine minutes remaining Morris bagged the fortunate third goal.
McKiernan with a two-point free and Madden with a score wiped out that goal, but Meath finished on the front foot with Morris adding to the tally and also forcing O'Donnell into a fine double save. It was comfortable in the finish, but attentions turn to Down next Saturday week and on this evidence we can't wait.
Meath - Billy Hogan (0-2 two-point free); Sean Rafferty Seamus Lavin, Donal Keogan; Eoin Harkin (0-1), Seán Coffey, Ciarán Caulfield; Jack Flynn (0-1), Bryan Menton (0-2 one two-point); Ronan Jones (2-0), Eoghan Frayne (0-8 one free, one two-point, one two-point free, one mark ), Jack Kinlough; Jordan Morris (1-4 two frees), Conor Duke, Shane Walsh (0-1). Subs - Ruairi Kinsella (0-2) for Menton 43m, James Conlon for Walsh 52m, Conor Gray for Jones 58m, Cillian O'Sullivan for Duke 62m, Aaron Lynch for Kinlough 67m.
Cavan - Gary O'Rourke; Niall Carolan, Brian O'Connell, Jason McLoughlin; Padraig Faulkner, Dara McVetty (0-1), Oisin Kiernan (0-2 two-point); Darragh Lovett (0-9 four frees, one two-point free, one two-point), Cian Reilly; Ciaran Brady, Gerard Smith, Luke Molloy; Conor Madden (0-2), James Smith, Sean McEvoy. Subs - Gearoid McKirernan (0-6 one two-point, two two-point free) for Molloy half-time, Luke Fortune for Faulkner 46m, Nevin O'Donnell for O'Rourke, Ryan O'Neill for McEvoy 58m.
Referee - Seamus Mulhare (Laois).