Derry air sweet for Meath hurlers

Visits to the heartlands of hurling in Ulster rarely result in much joy or profit for Meath teams. The Ulstermen are proud of their heritage and usually lack nothing when it comes to showing their commitment to the cause on the field of play. Last Saturday's trip to the village of Feeny for this Christy Ring Cup encounter was different. This time Meath came away with a victory that was as deserved as it was unexpected. Anyone who had witnessed the second-half capitulation to Kildare had to be pessimistic making the trip up to Feeny, the home of St Mary's, Banagher, in the heartland of the Sperrin mountains. The mountain range with the yellow furze mingled in with the verdant green of the blossoming tress made for a very picturesque background for this encounter. Yet the pleasant surroundings couldn't hide the reality that this was a do-or-die contest and the losers would 'qualify' for a relegation play-off. That all meant that there was a real championship bite to the game and it was the Meath side who showed, that on this occasion, they had the sharper teeth. Their play was full of the verve and vigour you might expect from a team that had been written off. After the defeat to Kildare the Meath players had a point to prove and were determined to show that they were better than that slow-burning performance had indicated. Derry were ahead by 0-9 to 1-5 at the interval, but there was much to suggest in that opening 35 minutes that Meath were on their game. It was in the second-half, however, that Meath really found their form, particularly when they scored their second goal. They closed their opponents down, repeatedly forcing them to cough up possession. They also made the most of their opportunities. Neil Hackett was certainly on song when it came to taking his chances from frees, with seven of his eight points coming from placed balls, which included a couple of howitzers from distance. The Dunboyne man indicated in this outing that he is back on form. Then there was Noel Kirby. The towering Kildalkey man started on the half-forward line and was doing well there before he switched with full-forward Nicky Horan midway through the first-half. Kirby caused the Derry defence plenty of problems with his height and he showed real sharpshooters instincts with the two goals he netted. The first arrived just before the interval and it was a score that was badly needed by his team. Meath had enjoyed a bright opening 20 minutes, but they were out-gunned in the 15 minutes leading up to the break. During that time Derry scored five unanswered points from the pacy Paddy Henry (two), Ruairi Convery, Alan Grant and Sean McBride. With 29 minutes on the clock the Ulster side led 0-8 to 0-4 and were looking good, Meath struggling to keep in-step. Then with 31 minutes played Hackett fed the ball into a crowded square. Kirby won possession, turned sharply and whipped the sliotar to the net from about six metres. From the puck out Meath won possession and Peter Durnin split the posts. Convery then pointed to give Derry their interval lead. Those two Meath scores, coming as they did in quick succession, injected new hope and optimism into the Royal cause and the players were visibly energized. At half-time news filtered through that Stephen Clynch, who went into the game with a hand injury, wouldn't be coming out for the second-half. The Kilmessan man wasn't playing up to his own high standards, and it was felt his loss would be considerable. Rathmolyon's Kevin Fagan came on in his place and proceeded to give a first-class display. Kirby's second goal also provided a boost for Meath when it was required. After nine minutes of the second half points from Hackett (two) and one superb effort from Fagan helped Meath edge in front by 1-8 to 0-10 yet there was strong indications that Derry were about to stage a spirited revival. They had plenty of possession without taking full advantage. Then Hackett delivered a pass to Kirby out on the wing. There was little on for the Kildalkey man. Undaunted, he cut inside, sidestepped two players with a neat turn of pace and slotted to the net. Again the goal was followed immediately by Meath point, this time from Padraig Keogh who fired over the first of two excellent efforts. Suddenly Meath led by 2-9 to 0-10. The momentum was with them and with victory in their nostrils there was no way they were going to be caught. They closed out the game like a team who believed victory was rightfully theirs. There was much for Meath to be pleased about as they look ahead to this weekend. Martin Horan made his return to inter-county action after injury and capped a fine display with an excellent point. Nicky Horan won a number of vital tussles in the second-half. Paul Fagan mopped up a world of ball at centre-back and David Kirby was as industrious and effective as ever and he also fired over from distance. Mark Mullally wore number 15, but spent most of his time around midfield and did a lot of good work there along Kiltale's Stephen Donoghue. Mullally also contributed two fine points from play. Goalkeeper Stephen Quinn didn't have a lot to do, but he did make one excellent save from Convery late on. In front of him Michael Foley, Enda Fitzgerald and David Donoghue provided more than adequate defensive cover. For Meath it's upwards and onwards with the Christy Ring Cup now back in their sights. SCORERS Meath - N Hackett 0-8, seven frees; N Kirby 2-0; P Keogh 0-2; M Mullally 0-2; M Horan 0-1; D Kirby 0-1; P Durnin 0-1; K Fagan 0-1. Derry - S McBride 0-4, one free; A Grant 0-4; P Henry 0-4, one free; R Convery 0-3, two frees. THE TEAMS Meath - S Quinn; M Foley; E Fitzgerald, D Donoghue; M Horan, P Fagan, D Kirby; S Donoghue, S Clynch; P Keogh, N Kirby, N Hackett; P Durnin, N Horan, M Mullally. Subs - K Fagan for Clynch, half-time; B Slevin for Durnin 58 mins; J Boyle for S Donoghue 62m. Derry - D McDermott; S McCullagh, E McKeever, R McCloskey; E Farren, P O'Kane, C Brunton; S McNicholl, K Hinphey; A Grant, O McCloskey, P Henry; P McCloskey, R Convery, S McBride. Subs - D McCloskey for Farren. Referee - Ray Mathews (Antrim). NEXT ROUND Meath will play Wicklow next Saturday in the quarter-final of the competition at Newbridge, 1.0.