Meath survive late drama to secure knockout spot

ALL-IRELAND SFC Plenty of excitement in Hyde as Royals hold on

Meath.....0-5-11

Roscommon....2-5-5

As the clock counted down at Dr Hyde Park this evening Meath retained possession knowing a draw was good enough to secure a place in the All-Ireland SFC preliminary quarter-final, at least.

However in an effort to secure both points after the hooter had sounded Mathew Costello shot for a winner, but his effort dropped short and Roscommon launched one last counter-attack.

Meath hearts were in their mouths as they defended by the seat of their pants. A number of 'soft' frees moved Roscommon into range and they got even closer to goal with Ben O'Carroll bearing down on Billy Hogan.

However Meath swarmed the Roscommon attacker and somehow managed to apply enough pressure to force man and ball out over the endline. The referee's final whistle followed and Costello and his colleagues were relieved men.

In another pulsating game, wind-assisted Roscommon looked to have put themselves into a winning position as they overturned a five-point half-time deficit to lead by one in the 62nd minute.

However three minutes later Meath ended a 17 minute barren spell when Ciaran Caulfield set up the outstanding Ruairi Kinsella to fire the equaliser.

Neither side managed to find another score in the remaining 11 minutes of game time, but there was certainly no lack of drama as Roscommon kicked three two-point chances wide instead of showing more patience to work a winning single point.

Meath had the magnificent James Conlon's first-half showing and the brilliance of Billy Hogan in the second period to thank for their hard earned draw.

Conlon kicked six superb points from play, including one two-pointer, in the opening half, while after the break Hogan saved a penalty from Enda Smith, plucked a point attempt from over the crossbar and landed a two-point free.

It was that type of drama throughout that enthralled the Hyde crowd and Meath certainly made life difficult for themselves by conceding two goals in the opening 15 minutes despite playing with the aid of the stiff breeze.

The response to the concession of those goals was impressive as the visitors landed four two-pointers to lead by five at the break and put themselves in with a shout.

Roscommon looked dangerous against the wind. Brian Stack found his way through the porous Meath rearguard in the first minute before dragging his shot wide.

Meath responded with a sublime two-pointer from the outside of Kinsella's right boot and in the sixth minute Eoghan Frayne made it 0-3 to 0-0.

Diarmuid Murtagh cut through the Meath defence to draw Roscommon level with a goal and after Dylan Ruane edged them ahead Roscommon were denied a second goal by Donal Keogan's outstanding tackle on Diarmuid Murtagh.

Conlon opened his account to restore parity again, but then Ben O'Carroll capitalised when Sean Rafferty failed to deal with a high ball to bury beyond Hogan to make it 2-1 to 0-4.

Again Meath responded well. Conlon kicked two in succession before Daire Cregg made it 2-2 to 0-6 by the 20th minute.

Then Meath hit their straps.

A Costello free from just inside the 40-metre arc was followed by two-point scores from Conlon and Conor Duke and a first score from Jordan Morris to make it 0-12 to 2-2.

Poor defending gifted Senan Lambe a Roscommon point after a 10 minute barren spell, but another two-pointer from Menton and points from Conlon and Morris, either side of a Cregg score, extended Meath's lead to six points.

Roscommon were patient as the hooter went and won a free which Ciarain Murtagh converted to make it 2-5 to 0-16 at the break.

Meath looked capable of maintaining their lead as Sean Coffey and Frayne pointed either side of a Enda Smith two-pointer.

Smith had a chance to narrow the deficit to two when David Murray was fouled for a penalty, but Hogan made a great save low to his left.

However, less than a minute later the dangerous Smith landed a two-pointer to make amends and make it 2-9 to 0-18.

Hogan's two-point free restored Meath's five-point lead, but then Roscommon assumed control with Diarmuid Murtagh kicking a two-point free and a two-pointer from play either side of another two-pointer from Smith to edge Roscommon into a 2-15 to 0-20 lead.

The hosts looked like the odds-on winners from there, but Kinsella levelled for Meath and despite all the drama in the closing stages they both had to settle for a share of the spoils.

The draw is enough to guarantee Meath a place in the knockout stages, while Roscommon will need a win over Cork in round three to join the Royals and Kerry in the next phase.

Meath - Billy Hogan (0-2 two-point free); Seamus Lavin, Sean Rafferty, Brian O'Halloran; Donal Keogan, Sean Coffey (0-1), Ciaran Caulfield; Adam O'Neill, Bryan Menton (0-2 two-pointer); Conor Duke (0-2 two-pointer), Ruairi Kinsella (0-3 one two-pointer), Mathew Costello (0-1 frees); Jordan Morris (0-2), James Conlon (0-6 one two-pointer), Eoghan Frayne (0-2). Subs -Cathal Hickey for Duke 54m, Keith Curtis for Frayne 59m, Conor Gray for Menton 64m, James McEntee for Lavin 66m, Eoin Harkin for O'Neill 68m.

Roscommon - Conor Carroll; Niall Higgins, Colm Neary, David Murray; Ronan Daly, Brian Stack, Senan Lambe (0-1); Eddie Nolan, Diarmuid Murtagh (1-4 one two-pointer, one two-point free); Dylan Ruane (0-1), Ciarain Murtagh (0-1 free), Shane Cunnane; Daire Cregg (0-2), Enda Smith (0-6 three two-pointers), Ben O'Carroll (1-0). Subs - Pearse Frost for Higgins 14m, Cian McKeon for Ruane, Donie Smith for C Murtagh both 49m, Keith Doyle for Nolan 58m, Ruaidhri Fallon for Lambe 64m.

Referee - Paul Faloon (Down).