'That was a big turning point' - Meath reel in Derry to claim win at Croke Park
Jack Flynn scored seven points for Meath in the victory over Derry at Croke Park. Pic: Michael P Ryan/Sportsfile
Robbie Brennan said he was very tempted to start former AFL player Cian McBride for Meath on Saturday evening.
McBride didn't immediately dominate as many expected after returning from Australia in late 2023 but he has been ripping it up for TU Dublin this month in the Sigerson Cup.
Brennan ultimately opted to leave him on the bench against Derry, for an explosive impact which he duly delivered to help secure a significant Division 2 win.
With a midfielder like McBride just waiting to take his jersey, Jack Flynn knew he had to play well and came good with perhaps his best display yet in a Meath jersey.
Flynn, the 2023 Tailteann Cup final Man of the Match, lorded it at midfield, scoring seven points and taking the gloss off Derry's All-Star midfield combination of Conor Glass and Brendan Rogers.
"That's Jack, isn't it? He's a beast of a man, he really is a beast of a man," said Meath manager Brennan. "His ability, his ball-carrying ability is fantastic, he's excellent in the air. He's obviously two-footed. He has it all. I think he was man of the match and rightly so.
"He was really good and at a time when we needed it. They were huge scores he got from us and the more he got out from the back, he really helped us."
Flynn missed the last four games of Meath's 2025 Championship campaign as they reached an All-Ireland semi-final.
With the Ratoath man back after a serious hamstring injury and firing next to Bryan Menton, McBride coming good and Dunshaughlin skyscrapers Conor Gray and Charlie O'Connor waiting to pounce, the Royals suddenly have half a dozen huge men available at midfield, a key area in the new game.
"I want to mention the impact of Cian McBride," said Brennan, referencing a player who made a great fetch after coming on, took off on a solo run and won a free that Flynn converted for two points.
"Me, and Meath football fans in particular, will know that we've been waiting to see a bit of this from him. He was phenomenal. Cian would have been extremely disappointed not to start.
"He's been absolutely flying it in a lot of the challenge games and obviously is going well for the college as well. So we purposely kept him back to try to use him for that impact, which he did brilliantly."
Brennan said Meath weren't playing 'winter football' at the start as Derry roared 1-3 to 0-1 clear. The 2024 Division 1 winners were still five points clear with 26 minutes on the clock. Then they committed a 4/3 breach while in possession and Mathew Costello punished them with a two-pointer for Meath from the free.
It was the start of 11 Meath points without response, turning the game decisively in the Royal County's favour and giving them a vital early lead ahead of both Derry and Tyrone in the promotion race.
Goalkeeper Seán Brennan deserves a mention too, bouncing back from a goal gaffe - he dropped Paul Cassidy's long delivery over his goal line - by pulling off two great saves, nailing a two-point free and arrowing most of his kick-outs to green jerseys.
Next up for Meath is a trip to Cavan on Sunday. Derry have a huge local derby against Tyrone in Celtic Park on Saturday evening.
They're still without Eoin McEvoy and Odhran Lynch, and Lachlan Murray was pulled from the team before throw-in on Saturday.
New boss Meenagh assured that 'when the tide turns' for Derry, who haven't won a League game since the 2024 Division 1 final, 'it will turn quickly'.
"Unfortunately with the breach, which came while we were on a counter-attack, it was a big moment," said Meenagh, back in charge for a second spell.
"Meath scored eight points on the bounce after that up to half-time. That was a big turning point."
Jack Flynn 0-7 (1 tp, 1 tpf, 0-1 45), Mathew Costello 0-3 (0-1f, 1 tpf), Jordan Morris 0-3 (1 tp), Seán Brennan 0-2 (1 tpf), Eoghan Frayne 0-1, Bryan Menton 0-1, James Conlon 0-1, Ciaran Caulfield 0-1.
Shane McGuigan 0-7 (1 tpf, 0-1f), Paul Cassidy 1-3 (1 tp), Gareth McKinless 0-1, Ethan Doherty 0-1, Matthew Downey 0-1.
Shea McGuckin; Diarmuid Baker, Conor Doherty, Ruairà Forbes; Padraig McGrogan, Gareth McKinless, Conor McCluskey; Conor Glass, Brendan Rogers; Ethan Dogherty, Shane McGuigan, Niall Loughlin; Paul Cassidy, Niall Toner, Conor McAteer.
Matthew Downey for McAteer 43, Shea Downey for Toner 54, Patrick McGurk for Loughlin 61, Sean Kearney for Baker 65, Sean Young for Cassidy 70.
Seán Brennan; Seamus Lavin, Seán Rafferty, Brian O'Halloran; Donal Keogan, Ciarán Caulfield, Adam O'Neill; Bryan Menton, Jack Flynn; Conor Duke, Ruairi Kinsella, Seán Coffey; Jordan Morris, Eoghan Frayne, Mathew Costello.
Cian McBride for Duke 49, James Conlon (0-01) for O'Neill 53, Jack O'Connor for Frayne 61, Jason Scully for Kinsella 65, Ronan Ryan for O'Halloran 68.
Barry Tiernan (Dublin).
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