Meath sing sweet song in the Derry air

Meath .................1-3-18 (27)

Derry ................1-3-14 (23)

This Meath team have given the supporters many great days over the last 18 months, and Saturday night's victory over Derry in Celtic Park is right up there with the best of them as they advanced to the third round of the All-Ireland SFC series.

Written off in many quarters following the no-show against Westmeath in the opening round of Leinster and the second-half collapse against Cork three weeks ago, Meath bounced back in style with a composed, professional, dominant display that was fully merited.

James Conlon might steal the headlines with a magnificent seven point haul from play, but when Meath needed leaders, needed inspiration, needed men, it was their spiritual leaders Bryan Menton and in particular Donal Keogan who came up trumps.

Both veterans were simply superb throughout and even thought Keogan has been Meath's best footballer of a generation, it's doubtful he has had a better performance than the one he produced on Saturday night.

His early goal set the tone, he chipped in with two more points before the 70 minutes were up, but it was his interceptions, his work rate, his fielding near the end to win possession, his drive, passion, hunger and commitment that stood him out - like a fine wine, he's just getting better and better.

He, and Menton, weren't alone. Meath were composed and controlled. Ciaran Caulfield, Cian McBride, Sean Coffey and Seamus Lavin were also outstanding, but it was a collective display, sprinkled with magic from Keogan, Conlon and Menton that secured anther day out for Meath next weekend.

The game started at a frantic pace and didn't relent in the opening half as both sides went at it hard.

After trading a couple of early wides it took a move of magnificent brilliance, started by a surging run from Sean Rafferty, that led to a Donal Keogan goal as Meath made the best start possible.

Derry replied immediately with a goal chance of their own as James Sargent was denied by a brilliant block by Ronan Ryan before Sean Brennan tipped the deflected effort round the post for a '45' which Sargent converted.

Shane McGuigan added Derry's second point 90 seconds later, but Meath continued to press with Jack Flynn floating over a two-pointer before Jack O'Connor was denied a goal by a fine save from Shea McGuckin.

Lochlan Murray pointed on the counter-attack and during a barren spell during which they brought their tally to five wides in the opening 14 minutes, Meath went close for a second goal with Mathew Costello's flick covered by McGuckin.

Eoin McEvoy closed the deficit to one with a fisted point, but Meath hit their straps again with a brilliant two-pointer from Bryan Menton followed by a point from James Conlon which made it 1-5 to 0-4 in the 18th minute.

Meath looked comfortable, but then a defensive mix-up allowed Sargent slip through for a fortunate goal and two minutes later Murray fisted over to equalise before Shane McGuigan pointed on the loop to give Derry the lead for the first time in the 25th minute.

Meath took a stranglehold on the contest again with Costello levelling up before successive scores from Menton and two from Conlon edged the visitors 1-9 to 1-6 ahead, but then derry finished strong.

McEvoy and Ruairi Forbes closed the gap to one and after a delay for an injury to Conor Glass and Cian McBride Derry manufactured an equalising point with five seconds left on the clock to ensure parity at the break, 1-9 each.

Fears that Meath might not have done enough with a breeze at their backs never materialised and even though the second period started with both sides reduced to 13 men after Meath's McBride and Ronan Ryan and Derry's Gareth McKinless and Conor Doherty picked up black cards for contributing to a melee, it only added to the excellent football because of the extra space.

McEvoy and Flynn traded points in the 90 seconds after the restart, but a two-point free from Brennan and a superb score from Conlon stretched Meath into a three-point lead.

Brendan Rogers replied with a two-pointer and when Forbes added his second Derry were level again by the 46th minute, 1-13 each.

Jordan Morris edged Meath ahead again before both sides were restored to 15 and even though McGuigan levelled it up with fine point it was Meath who kicked on again with Keogan, Morris and Jack O'Connor making it 1-17 to 1-14 at the three-quarters stage.

McKinless stung Brennan's hands with a piledriver which was deflected over, but two points from Conlon and one from Costello put Meath in a strong position, 1-20 to 1-15, with 12 minutes left.

A two-pointer from Murray gave Derry hope, but Meath kept them at bay with a Frayne free. Conall Higgins made it a three-point game but as the clock ticked into the 70th minute Keogan brought his tally to 1-2 and Conlon clipped over his seventh point to make it 1-23 to 1-18 and no way back for Derry.

A soft free gifted McGuigan a two-point score, but Meath were in command and it was magnificent substitute Killian Smyth who capped a brilliant cameo with the closing score to ensure Meath advanced to the third round in some style.

Meath - Sean Brennan (0-2 one two-point free); Seamus Lavin, Sean Rafferty, Ronan Ryan; Donal Keogan (1-2), Bryan Menton (0-3 one two-pointer), Sean Coffey; Cian McBride, Jack Flynn (0-3 one two-pointer); Jack O'Connor (0-1), Mathew Costello (0-2), Ciaran Caulfield; Jordan Morris (0-2), James Conlon (0-7), Eoghan Frayne (0-1 free). Subs - Killian Smyth (0-1) for Ryan 49m, Charlie O'Connor for Menton 60m, Cathal Hickey for J O'Connor 65m, Keith Curtis for Conlon 71m, Adam O'Neill for Flynn 73m.

Derry - Shea McGuckin; Padraig McGrogan, Brendan Rogers (0-2 one two-pointer), Conor McCluskey; Conor Doherty, Gareth McKinless (0-1), Eoin McEvoy (0-3); Conor Glass, Dan Higgins; Ethan Doherty, James Sargent (1-2 one '45'), Ruairi Forbes (0-2); Paul Cassidy, Shane McGuigan (0-5 one two-point free), Lachlan Murray (0-4 one two-pointer). Subs - Niall Loughlan for Glass 36m, Niall O'Donnell for Higgins 57m, Sean Young for Forbes 60m, Conall Higgins (0-1) for Baker 65m

Referee - Sean Hurson (Tyrone).