Meath back on track with comfortable Tyrone victory

The Meath hurlers got their Christy Ring Cup campaign back on track with a 14 point victory over Tyrone

Meath 2-29

Tyrone 2-15

After last week's disappointing showing against London, Johnny Greville needed a response from his Meath side to keep Christy Ring hopes alive, and the Westmeath man certainly got one. The Royals vastly increased their intensity levels on Saturday in Trim and were rewarded with a convincing victory over Tyrone.

It was a much-improved performance from Meath and by half-time, they had matched last week's total tally on the scoreboard. The second quarter was particularly impressive. Between the 15th minute and the interval, Meath outscored Tyrone by 1-12 to 0-1. Stalwart Damien Healy provided Meath with their first-half goal.

The second-half was a much more even affair as the Royals had a strong breeze into their faces to contend with. A cheeky Darren O'Higgins goal ensured the Royals narrowly outscored Tyrone in the second 35 minutes which was enough to earn a comfortable victory over the Ulster outfit.

Kiltale's James Kelly was absolutely phenomenal for the Royals from wing-back. Right from the get-go Kelly worked extremely hard up and down the flank. His vision and composure were brilliant and he was the pick of some excellent individual performances for Meath.

Cian Rogers returned to the Meath starting 15 and had an excellent first-half before being subbed at half-time as a precaution. Daire Shine was part of a full-back line that struggled last week but the Kilskyre/Moylagh man responded really well on Saturday and put in a fantastic shift.

After conceding an early free, Meath hit back with three points in quick succession, the highlight was Jack Regan's long-range free from about five meters in front of his own 45.

A Sean Duffin free brought Tyrone back to within one but points from James Kelly, Shine and two from Regan handed Meath a 0-7 to 0-3 lead after 10 minutes.

For a brief period, Tyrone seized momentum. An Aidan Kelly point was followed up by a well-taken Rory Weir goal. Ciaran Magill's point in the 12th minute brought the Ulster side level.

This purple patch for Tyrone lit a fire underneath the Royals and from here they dominated the rest of the half. The impressive second-quarter showing was kicked off by a brace of points from Cian Rogers before his Ratoath compatriot, Darragh Kelly split the posts from a long way out. Mikey Cole and Regan kept the scoreboard ticking over before some good link-up play with Sean Quigley led to Damien Healy securing a 0-13 to 1-4 lead for the Royals after 20 minutes.

Regan traded scores with Ciaran Magill before the Kiltale sharpshooter extended the gap to seven. Healy, who was causing the Tyrone defence a lot of issues, cut inside from the right and found the back of the net to give Meath a 10-point lead. Two more Regan points and another from Shine sent the Royals in at the break with a 1-18 to 1-5 advantage.

Meath started the second-half well with points courtesy of Regan and Kris Gorman. Tyrone had another brief bright patch and between the 40th and 45th minute, outscored Meath by 0-4 to 0-1.

Just as Tyrone looked like they might put a dent into Meath's advantage, they were reduced to 14 men after Kiefer Morgan received a second yellow for an off-the-ball incident with Sean Coloe.

Sean Duffin kept plugging away for the visitors but his efforts were futile as points from Regan, James Kelly and Nicky Potterton kept the Royals ticking over.

James Toher made a fantastic block around his own 45 and showed great determination to get forward and polish off a nice move to put Meath 1-24 to 1-13 up after 60 minutes.

Toher then sent a long ball into the danger zone and Darren O'Higgins did well to capitalise and flick the ball over Conall Molloy's head for Meath's second goal. Regan brought his personal tally to 0-13 with two more frees before Tyrone's Fionn Devlin scored an unbelievable point from just outside his own 21.

Meath net-minder Colm O'Riordan conceded a penalty in injury time and it was dispatched by Sean Duffin. Still, at that stage, the contest, from a competitive perspective was long over and Padraig Dunne's final whistle confirmed a comfortable victory for the Royals, their first of the 2025 Christy Ring Cup campaign.

Meath - Colm 'ORiordan; Sean Coloe, Daire Shine (0-2), Kyle Donnelly; Darragh Kelly (0-1), James Toher (0-1), James Kelly (0-4); Sean Quigley, Mickey Burke; Cian Rogers (0-2), Mikey Cole (0-2), Joey Cole; Lorcan Byrne (0-1), Damien Healy (1-1), Jack Regan (0-13 0-10 frees) Subs - Darren O'Higgins (1-0)for Mikey Cole, Nicky Potterton (0-1) for Rogers both half-time, Kris Gorman (0-1) for Quigley 52m, David Murtagh for Joey Cole 59m, James Murray for Healy 61m, James Cooke for Kyle Donnelly 73m.

Tyrone - Connall Molloy; Dean Rafferty, Fionn Devlin (0-1), Oran McKee; Lorcan Devlin, Cormac Munrow, Tiernan Morgan; Sean Duffin (1-8 one penalty, five frees, one 65), Seamus Sweeney; Aidan Kelly (0-2 one free), Ciaran Magill (0-3), Rory Weir (1-1); Aidan Woods, Kiefer Morgan, James McCann. Subs - Francie Hurson for Weir 52m, Conall McKee for Tiernan Morgan 57m, Corey Bell for McCann 59m, Turlough Mullin for Kelly 61m, Mark McCann for Magill 66m.