Robbie Brennan thankful for Flynn rescue in 'squeaky bum time'

Meath manager Robbie Brennan. Photo by Michael P Ryan/Sportsfile

Allianz FL Division 2: Meath 2-17 Cavan 1-18 

Robbie Brennan acknowledged that Meath were in 'squeaky bum time' at Kingspan Breffni when Jack Flynn came dramatically to their rescue, converting a two-pointer with just 40 seconds left to keep the Royal County's 100 percent Division 2 record intact.

Cavan led by a point after sub Caoimhán McGovern's 69th-minute score and looked set to record their first League win of the Dermot McCabe era.

But when Meath won a Seán Brennan kickout and worked the ball to Flynn, the powerhouse Ratoath midfielder took on the responsibility to convert their first two-pointer of the day.

Meath won the next kick out as well and got sub James Conlon on the ball for his third point, sealing a slightly flattering two-point win.

There were thrilling cameos from Jordan Morris, who hit 1-4, and Ruairí Kinsella, who finished with 1-2, while Cian McBride had a powerful first half at midfield.

"A point down, into the last minute, I was thinking 'this is squeaky bum time'," said Meath manager Brennan. "But fair play to Seán in goals, he got the kick out away and we were fortunate to win possession. When you do that you generally have a chance of getting a shot off with all the space now and I think we controlled that well.

"I don't know if the lads realised what was left on the clock but it was brilliantly set up and a brilliant execution by Jack."

Meath hadn't won a game at Kingspan Breffni since 1965 so it was a historic win.

But it's a tough station for Cavan boss McCabe as his side lost to Cork in Round 1 by a point. He was also in charge of Westmeath last season when Meath did something similar to them.

It won't get any easier for Cavan in Round 3 as they have to head to Omagh to play a wounded Tyrone.

"It seems to be a little bit of a common trend," said McCabe of the narrow defeats. "We're obviously disappointed that with 55 or 60 seconds left, we were ahead. And then we lose. We know that Meath are eager to get two pointers so we had tried to put them under pressure and make them shoot from difficult angles. Unfortunately the only one that went over for them was the one in the last few seconds."

Gearóid McKiernan was excellent for Cavan, scoring 0-9 overall, while Dara McVeety, making his 100th appearance, impressed along with Oisín Brady.

Cavan didn't do a whole pile wrong overall and looked dangerous whenever they ran at the Meath defence.

They also cut out the Royals' two point threat. Robbie Brennan had an alternative take on that, saying that Meath's analysis uncovered how Cavan can be got at close to goal. So Meath didn't actually place much focus on orange flag scores.

Meath did create plenty of goal opportunities with Kinsella and Morris taking two of those.

It made for a cracking game with both sides keen to run at eachother and they hit the interval level at 1-8 apiece.

Meath left a couple of goal chances behind them in the first half, two McBride palmed efforts from close range.

They also shot six wides so were the more frustrated of the two teams at that stage.

Still, some of Morris' passes, both from the hand and the foot, were exceptional.

And McBride pulled off three great fetches at midfield, before going off 'sick', while Ciarán Caulfield and Sean Coffey made some impactful forward bursts.

Another of Morris' clever passes found McBride who was fouled for a 46th minute penalty that Morris converted.

Morris then found Caulfield with a kick pass that the wing-back chipped over to leave Meath 2-11 to 1-11 ahead.

The game swung in Cavan's favour in the final 20 minutes or so and McKiernan was at the hub of it but they couldn't hold on to the dismay of most in the 6,883 crowd.

Meath scorers: J Morris 1-4 (1-0 pen); R Kinsella 1-2; J Conlon 0-3; J Flynn (tp), M Costello 0-2 each; E Frayne, S Coffey, C Duke, C Caulfield 0-1 each.

Cavan scorers: G McKiernan 0-9 (1 tpf, 4 frees); O Brady 0-4 (2 frees); P Corrigan 1-0; D McVeety 0-2; Cormac O'Reilly, Gerard Smith, C McGovern 0-1 each.

MEATH: S Brennan; S Lavin, S Rafferty, B O'Halloran; D Keogan, S Coffey, C Caulfield; J Flynn, C McBride; C Duke, R Kinsella, B Menton; J Morris, M Costello, E Frayne.

Subs: J Conlon for Duke (h/t); J Scully for Frayne (52); A O'Neill for McBride (58); J O'Connor for Costello (59); O Martin for Kinsella (68).

CAVAN: L Brady; Cormac Brady, P Meade, J McLoughlin; G Smith, N Carolan, Ciaran Brady (Arva); R Brady, G McKiernan; Conor Brady, P Corrigan (1-0), T Madden; C O'Reilly, D McVeety, O Brady.

Subs: R Donohoe for R Brady (h/t); Ciaran Brady (Corofin, Galway) for Corrigan (48); C McGovern for O'Reilly & E Clarke for Cormac Brady (65); T Noack Hofmann for O Brady (68).

Ref: K Eannetta (Tyrone).