Clynch points the way

AT one stage late in the opening half of this NHL Div 3A tie on Sunday Meath led by eight points and looked like they were going to win by the proverbial mile. By half-time they were in front by 0-11 to 0-4 and were all set to push on from there. However, facing an icy breeze in the second-half, that seemed to grow in strength as the game went on, they lost their way for a spell. With a mixture of good fortune and some determined play they held on to win by the minimum margin. Stephen Clynch bagged two points on Sunday, one a booming, superb effort from inside his own '65" before the break. The second, and winning point, came on the stroke of full-time. It proved to be the decisive score with the richly talented Kilmessan man powering forward to slot between the posts. It was the final act in an exciting, grandstand finish. The winning point originated from a Stephen Quinn puck out. Neil Hackett won the ball around midfield, off-loaded to Clynch who moved forward before launching an exocet straight through the Kildare posts. It was a score worthy of winning any game and leaves Meath still sitting pretty at the top of the NHL Div 3A table with a rest of two weeks before their next game - a home clash with Wicklow. With three wins from three outings this has been a perfect start to the campaign for the Royal County and the two opening victories over Mayo and Derry must have raised their morale going into this fixture. They certainly played with a level of confidence that augurs well for the immediate future. They needed all the self-belief they could muster to dig out the win despite conceding the initiative for long spells in the second-half. They were also helped by some wayward shooting by the Lilywhites who registered 10 wides in the second-half alone, compared to Meath"s four. The visitors wasted some excellent chances and watching from the sideline their coach, former Kilkenny stalwart Andy Comerford, must have seethed with frustration. Apart from Kildare"s late surge, Meath also had to contend with other issues throughout a vigorously contested encounter. Manager TJ Reilly and his selectors were forced to reshuffle their pack after just 10 minutes when full-back Enda Fitzgerald received a yellow card for an off-the-ball incident. He was replaced by Kevin O"Rourke. With the wind behind them Meath made light of Fitzgerald"s absence, at least before the break, as most of the action took place in the Kildare half. Hackett gradually came to the fore with a series of first-rate points from play and frees to help give Meath their healthy interval advantage. One of the features of Meath displays in recent years has been the consistency of the Dunboyne man. Four of Hackett"s eight points on this occasion came from frees. Another forward to show impressive sharpness was Joey Keena who regularly foraged from his full-forward position, moving outfield to pick up possession before slotting over four first-rate points, three of them in the opening half. At midfield the combination of Clynch and Tony Fox worked well until the closing stages when the Kildakey man seemed to tire and was replaced. Another game or two and he"ll be back to full match fitness. Clynch"s Kilmessan colleague Ger O"Neill also contributed a skilfully-taken point from long range with Nicky Horan displaying some neat stickwork before slotting between the posts early on. Facing the elements for the second-half Meath, not surprisingly, spent a lot of the time defending their goals. From the 42nd to the 49th minute Kildare swept over four unanswered points, two each from Tony Murphy and David Harney, as they got their comeback underway in earnest. They were really given a boost with seven minutes remaining when a long ball from deep deceived the Meath defence and Oisin Lynch stole in and fired past Quinn. One of Meath"s most welcome scores came midway through the second-half when Horan was fouled going through and Hackett registered a point from the resultant free. It was a score that lifted the siege - for a while at least. The home side looked most likely to grab a goal shortly afterwards when a move which involved Michael Foley, Paul Fagan, Padraig Keogh and David Kirby ended with Keena breaking through. He was only prevented from scoring what looked like a certain goal by a brave stop from Kildare"s David Kennedy. The sides were level twice in the closing stages with Murphy equalising for Kildare with six minutes remaining. The game ebbed and flowed in the tense, closing minutes. With time almost up, Clynch strode forward to land a magnificant winning score and maintain Meath"s unbeaten run. Meath - S Quinn; J Corrigan, E Fitzgerald, M Foley; M Horan, P Fagan, A Ryan; T Fox, S Clynch (0-2); P Keogh, N Hackett (0-8), G O"Neill (0-1); D Kirby, J Keena (0-4), N Horan (0-1). Subs - K O"Rourke for Fitzgerald, D Crimmins for Fox, P Gorey for N Horan, J Boyle for Keogh. Kildare - P Dermody; P Reidy, D Ryan, J Doran; K Chan, D Kennedy, R Hoban (0-1); D Harney (0-2), P Divilly (0-1); L Harne y (0-1), K Divilly, T Murphy (0-3); O Lynch (1-3), A McAndrew, P Fitzgerald. Subs - N O Muineachain for Fitzgerald, D Caffrey for L Harney, A McAndrew (0-1) for Caffrey. Referee - Owen Elliott (Antrim).