‘Ain’t over yet’ as win sees Royals eye promotion

DOGGED by whispers of relegation before throw-in, this was a restorative victory for Colm Coyle’s Meath team who now find themselves contemplating the outside possibility of playing Division One football next spring.

Armagh’s tale is a more worrying one. Though a point behind Meath before this encounter, Peter McDonnell’s side had a game extra to play with and knew that three wins would all but guarantee them promotion.

Instead, this defeat — and the worrying nature of it — suggests the Orchard County could be ripe for a ransacking this summer if they can’t inject some momentum into their year.

Though Aidan O’Rourke scored the game’s opening goal after nine minutes from a penalty, they conceded two (one an own goal from O’Rourke and the other to Joe Sheridan) within the blink of an eye but were still level after 23 minutes.

The rest of the game was a graveyard for their ambitions. It took 19 minutes for their next score to materialise.

“Twenty-six minutes without a score is bad,” admitted McDonnell. “There was no vitality in the legs. I don’t know why. We have to learn from this.”

For Meath, this victory may well be the axis on which their stuttering season finally turns. Nowhere were their improved fortunes more markedly evident than in front of the goal. Without a single three-pointer all year, they managed three here.

“I’m delighted for the lads,” said Coyle. “Everyone was harping on about relegation. We have seven points now and Cork beat Monaghan — who could stay stuck on nine points — and we can get nine points. It ain’t over yet.”

One of the chief talking points afterwards was referee Marty Duffy who halted the game 52 times. Meath earned 33 of the frees yet, despite that, the home side saw nine yellow cards to the visitors’ five. The Sligo official was well within his rights in sticking so rigidly to the letter of the law but Coyle had reason to fume at the unfavourable breakdown in the statistics.

“At one stage, one of our lads was hit off the ball. He said he would come back to it and he didn’t. Paul McGrane must have had about 20 personal fouls and he only got booked.”

That will pale into insignificance alongside the win itself, even if results will have to fall their way for promotion to still be within their grasp.

Thanks to the Cork controversy, points difference will not be used to decide the final standings in Division Two but, come what may, Meath will need little motivation for their last game against the Dubs at Parnell Park.

Scorers for Meath: J Sheridan 2-2, (1-0 pen, 0-1f), Own goal (M O’Rourke) 1-0, P Byrne 0-2, S Bray 0-1, G Reilly 0-1, C Ward 0-1.

Scorers for Armagh: A O’Rourke 1-0 pen, S McDonnell 0-2 (1f), A Kernan 0-1, M O’Rourke 0-1, T Kernan 0-1, O McConville 0-1f.

MEATH: B Murphy; N McKeigue, D Fay, C McGill; S Kenny, E Harrington, C King; N Crawford, M Ward; P Byrne, G Geraghty, A Nestor; S Bray, J Sheridan, C Ward.

Subs: G Reilly for C Ward (33), S McAnarney for McGill (350, S O’Rourke for Nestor (49), C O’Connor for Fay (64), B Meade for O’Rourke (69).

ARMAGH: P Hearty; B Shannon, B Donaghy, F Moriarty; A Kernan, A O’Rourke, C McKeever; K Toner, G Swift; S Kernan, M O’Rourke, P McGrane; S McDonnell, R Clarke, T Kernan.

Subs: C Vernon for Swift (37), O McConville for T Kernan (42), F Bellew for Shannon (51), G O’Neill for Clarke (61), B Mallon for M O’Rourke (61).

Referee: M Duffy (Sligo).