Another defeat for Meath hurlers
Mickey Burke returned to the Meath team for today's NHL Div2B game against Down at Ballycran who posed all the questions with nine points from Danny Toner as they booked their place in the decider with thoroughly deserved 2-17 to 1-14 victory.
Meath finished fourth ahead of Wicklow on the head-to-head and Donegal in what was a poor campaign. They were also without Steven Clynch today following the injury he picked up against Armagh last week
Down opened the scoring in the first minute with a solo effort from Stephen Dineen who ran about 50 yards and sent over, but Joey Keena converted a free a minute later to draw the sides level.
Down corner back Conor O'Prey sent over a huge free from inside his own 65-metre line before full-forward Danny Toner scored the first of two quick points (one free) with Joey Keena keeping Meath in touch from another free.
In the 12th minute James Toher centred into the Down square and Joey Keena flicked the sliotar into the path of his brother Kevin who toe-poked to the net. That heralded a period of Meath dominance with points from Joey Keena (free), Neil Heffernan and Toher (free) at the end of the first-quarter.
Down found an immediate response with Toner converting a free and then Conor Mageean found the net and tied the scores at 1-5 each after 25 minutes.
Keith Keoghan (free) and Toner (feee) traded points and then Down's Rian Brannigan kicked to the net after Donal Hughes provided the defence-splitting pass.
This time it was Meath that found response and finished the half with a flourish of points from Joey Keena, Heffernan and Toher (free) to a solitary Down effort from Toner as the hosts went in at the break with a 2-7 to 1-9 interval advantage.
After the resumption Down claimed three easy points in as many minutes from O'Prey (free), Scott Nicholson and Toner (free) to consolidate their position and Donal Hughes also split the posts. In contrast Meath tallied four wides in the same period although Joey Keena also converted three frees as the Royals trailed by 1-12 to 2-11 at the end of the third-quarter. Down were comfortable for the remainder and picked off six more points while wasteful Meath, who finished 15 wides, added a brace of pointed fress from Keith Keoghan.
Meath - Shane McGann; Sean Geraghty, Ronan Sherlock, David Donoghue; Shane Brennan, Damien Healy, Keith Keoghan (0-3 frees), Sean Heavey, Mickey Burke; Sean Quigley, James Toher (0-2 fres), Adam Gannon; Kevin Keena (1-0), Neil Heffernan (0-2), Joey Keena (0-7 six frees). Subs – Stephen Morris for Heavey 43 mins, Barry Slevin for Quigley 49m, Tom Clarke for K Keena 60m.
See next edition of Meath Chronicle for reacton from the game and prospects in Christy Ring Cup.