Meath edge out Down to secure home quarter-final

WRONG PLACE: Down’s Pierce Laverty collides with Referee Fergal Kelly as Meath’s Jordan Morris gets away. Pic:©INPHO/Leah Scholes

Tailteann Cup, Group 2, Round 3 

 Meath 1-11 Down 1-9 

A repeat of the 1991 All-Ireland though hardly revenge for Meath and Colm O'Rourke who finished strongly this time to claim a significant Tailteann Cup win.

Still, in this period of rebuilding a third consecutive win to secure top spot in Group 2, and a home quarter-final fixture in a fortnight, will be widely celebrated in the Royal County.

Back in '91, Meath were defeated narrowly by Down in the All-Ireland decider despite O'Rourke climbing off his sick bed to inspire the team with a late cameo.

Down put themselves in a winning position again this time at Parnell Park, enjoying a two-point lead with 20 minutes to go thanks to Odhran Murdock's third quarter goal.

But they couldn't push on for a win in the clash of the two unbeaten teams in Group 2 and will instead go into tomorrow evening's draw for the preliminary quarter-finals. They will kick themselves for shooting 16 wides, 10 of which came in the second-half.

Level twice late on, Meath secured the win with stoppage time scores from substitutes Daithi McGowan and Donal Lenihan.

Both sides were considerably changed from their Round 2 outings with Conor Laverty altering half of his Down lineup after thrashing Tipperary 2-18 to 0-6.

Goalkeeper Niall Kane, defenders Patrick McCarthy, Danny Magill and attackers Shealan Johnston, Donach McAleenan, Liam Kerr and Eugene Branagan all came into the Mourne team.

As for Meath, O'Rourke made four changes to the team that beat Waterford with U-20 star Ciaran Caulfield making his Championship debut and recalls also for defender Adam O'Neill and attackers James McEntee and Jack O'Connor.

Speedy O'Connor burst through the Down defence in the third minute for an excellent opening point but it wasn't exactly a sign of things to come in a largely low quality encounter.

Both sides struggled to score from open play with 13 first-half wides between them and Down only managing a Kerr point from play in the first 35 minutes or so.

Down fans roared their disapproval when Eugene Branagan slammed the ball to the Meath net in the 26th minute only for referee Fergal Kelly to call play back for a free in which he'd already awarded.

Something similar happened for Meath's opening goal in the 11th minute when Morris slammed home from the penalty spot. They too had put the ball in the net initially but Kelly had already blown for the penalty following a foul on Ronan Jones who was set free by a terrific Morris reverse pass.

Such moments of quality were fleeting with more perspiration than inspiration on a hot day at the north Dublin venue.

Mathew Costello's point from a stoppage time advanced mark nudged Meath ahead at half-time, 1-4 to 0-6, but it felt like anyone's game.

Things swung in Down's favour when Murdock netted in the 44th minute after a probing move through the centre that climaxed with Guinness playing in the midfielder who finished from close range.

Down led 1-7 to 1-5 at that stage but the scores were back level at 1-8 and 1-9 apiece in the closing quarter.

It was tense stuff with both sides guilty of shooting costly wides. Morris and Costello butchered a goal chance for Meath in the 55th minute while Down booted wide after wide.

McGowan's point from a 45 three minutes into stoppage time nudged Meath clear again and Lenihan set the seal on victory with a point from a free when Ronan Jones was fouled, bringing to an end a two-minute spell of Meath possession.

Scorers for Meath: J Morris (1-3, 1-0 pen); J McEntee, J Flynn (1 free) (0-2 each); M Costello (1 mark), J O'Connor, D McGowan (1 45), D Lenihan (1 free) (0-1 each).

Scorers for Down: P Havern (0-5, 5 frees); D Murdock (1-0); L Kerr (0-2, 1 free); N Kane (1 45), D Guinness (0-1 each).

MEATH: S Brennan; A O'Neill, R Ryan, H O'Higgins; C Caulfield, P Harnan, D Keogan; R Jones, C Gray; S Coffey, J McEntee, J O'Connor; J Morris, M Costello, A Lynch.

Subs: J Flynn for Caulfield (33); D Lenihan for Lynch (45); D McGowan for Gray (56); C O'Sullivan for O'Connor (59); C Hickey for McEntee (67).

DOWN: N Kane; P McCarthy, A Doherty, P Laverty; C Francis, D Guinness, D Magill; P Branagan, P Havern; L Kerr, O Murdock, C Doherty; E Branagan, D McAleenan, S Johnston.

Subs: M Rooney for Magill (47); R McEvoy for E Branagan (55); R Carr for Francis (60); S Annett for S Johnston (61-72); Annett for P Branagan (73); E Brown for McAleenan (77).

Referee: F Kelly (Longford).