'Rory is Rory' - Beggan bucks the trend in big Monaghan win over Meath

The FRC's rules tweak which ended the possibility of goalkeepers coming forward to create 12-v-11 overloads was widely interpreted as the death knell to the roving netminder.

FULL BORE: Keith Curtis of Meath is tackled by Ryan O'Toole of Monaghan. Pic: Thomas Flinkow/Sportsfile

Allianz National Football League, Division 2: Monaghan 1-29 Meath 1-20

Not for the first time, Monaghan goalkeeper Rory Beggan has proven himself to be the exception.

Last week's rules tweak which ended the possibility of goalkeepers coming forward to create 12-v-11 overloads was widely interpreted as the death knell to the roving goalkeeper.

But while that turned out to be the case for many goalkeepers across the first weekend of games under the amended rules, Beggan confounded expectations in Monaghan's big win in Navan.

Captain Micheal Bannigan and substitute Jack McCarron did the bulk of the scoring, registering 0-8 and 0-7 respectively, to leave Monaghan two clear at the top of Division 2 and needing just a draw at home to Down next to gain promotion.

Andrew Woods' 21st minute goal was significant too, putting the Farney into a 1-10 to 0-5 lead at that stage which they embellished shortly after by clipping three two-pointers in a row.

But viewed through the prism of the latest iteration of football's rules, it was Beggan's role that was most intriguing, the Scotstown man converting two two-point frees and getting forward in the first-half alone to help set up points for Ryan McAnespie and McCarron.

At one stage in the second-half, All-Star wing-back Conor McCarthy, one of the most attack minded players Monaghan possess, dropped back to allow Beggan to attack.

"Rory is Rory," smiled manager Gabriel Bannigan. "Rory will come up the field and add value to our attack. He has to be more selective I suppose now in terms of when to do it, when to go out and we have to manage it on the pitch with having to keep four players back but we did that.

"I mean, there are smart players out there, Ryan Wylie is a very smart footballer, Kieran Duffy when he came on, a lot of experience. Conor McCarthy, an All-Star, so there's brains on the pitch and we talked about it during the week as to how we were going to handle it and I think we managed it very well.

"Rory came forward and added value every time he came forward but he just had to be more selective in terms of when he came."

Monaghan struck six two-pointers in all, five in the first-half when they were aided by the breeze.

It had looked like a meeting of evenly matched teams given they were both on eight points beforehand and Meath had won their previous four games.

In reality, there was a significant gulf between Monaghan's Division 1 intensity, conditioning and even mindset, and Meath's brittle offering. By half-time, Monaghan had streaked 1-20 to 0-8 clear. Nine different players had already scored. They pulverised Meath in the middle third and Stephen O'Hanlon was virtually unmarkable at times as he used his pace to cut through Meath's backline.

"We were sitting too deep in the arc and they kicked them over without much pressure on them really," said Meath manager Robbie Brennan, explaining all of Monaghan's two-pointers.

Things got a little better for Meath after the restart. Aaron Lynch lent punch to their attack when he came on, passing across to captain Eoghan Frayne for a 37th minute palmed goal. Lynch also scored two points and Ruairi Kinsella, another sub, drilled over two two-pointers.

But a comeback win was never on the cards and between O'Hanlon, McCarron and the excellent Bannigan, Monaghan had enough quality to keep themselves well in the clear.

Veteran Darren Hughes came on again while manager Bannigan noted Gary Mohan's first start of the campaign and Joel Wilson's return as a sub. But there were a couple of significant negatives too as Killian Lavelle dislocated his shoulder and Louis Kelly tweaked a hamstring.

Meath are still in the promotion picture but need to beat Louth next weekend, away, and hope results elsewhere fall their way.

Monaghan scorers: M Bannigan 0-8 (1tp, 2f, 1m); J McCarron 0-7 (2tp, 2f); R Beggan (2 tpf), S O'Hanlon (0-4 each); A Woods 1-0; G Mohan (tp), C McCarthy 0-2 each); R McAnespie, C McNulty 0-1 each.

Meath scorers: E Frayne 1-6 (0-3f, 1 tpf); J Morris (1f), R Kinsella (2 tp) 0-4 each; A Lynch (1m), J Kinlough 0-2 each; J Flynn, B Menton 0-1 each.

Monaghan: R Beggan; D Byrne, K Lavelle, R O'Toole; L Kelly, R Wylie, C McCarthy; G Mohan, M McCarville; R McAnespie, M Bannigan, C McNulty; D Garland, A Woods, S O'Hanlon.

Subs; K Duffy for Lavelle (6); J McCarron for Kelly (18); D Ward for McAnespie (52); J Wilson for Garland (62); D Hughes for Mohan (67).

Meath: B Hogan; D Keogan, S Rafferty, S Lavin; E Harkin, S Ryan, C Caulfield; J Flynn, B Menton; K Curtis, J Kinlough, C Duke; J Morris, C McBride, E Frayne.

Subs: B O'Halloran for Ryan (h/t); A Lynch for McBride (h/t); R Kinsella for Curtis (47); S Walsh for Harkin (64).

Ref: A Nolan (Wicklow).