Meath stage second-half comeback

Meath 2-12 Galway 1-12

Sean Boylan’s Meath made a great start to their Division 1B season as they came from behind to score a haul of 2-8 in the second half at Pairc Tailteann and take the scalp of Galway, 2-12 to 1-12.

In front of a huge crowd, and in their first league meeting with the Royals for nine years, Galway turned on the style in the first ten minutes, hitting 1-4 to no reply.

Backed by the breeze, the Connacht men saw first Padraig Joyce pick off a point, then a long ball from the full forward saw his cousin Nicholas Joyce ease past Anthony Moyles to goal on 4 minutes.

It was all maroon-and-white as the younger Joyce hit over two points in quick succession before midfielder Joe Bergin sallied over an effort from 30 metres.

The Meath faithful had to wait until the 23rd minute for their side’s first score, through Brian Farrell. A run of three successive points from Damien Byrne, Ray Magee and Niall Kelly saw them 0-4 to 1-7 down at half-time, with Padraig Joyce’s fourth point for Galway coming two minutes before the whistle.

A Joe Sheridan goal fifteen seconds into the second period cracked Meath into life with a hat-trick of Ray Magee points soon drawing them level in a pulsating contest.

Galway simply had no answer as they mustered just five points in the final 30 minutes. Nicholas Joyce and Derek Savage helped them into a 1-10 to 1-7 lead after 49 minutes before Brian Farrell goaled for Meath.

Tommy Joyce did level things at 2-9 to 1-12 but further points for Sheridan who ended the game on 1-5 saw Meath triumphant.