Young guns show lots of promise in demolition of the students

Meath hurlers got their 2012 campaign off to a winning start with a thoroughly merited victory against DCU in the second round of the Kehoe Cup at Páirc Táilteann on Sunday. The reward is another home fixture next Sunday, a semi-final clash against St Pat's, Drumcondra who recorded an impressive 3-11 to 2-9 victory over Wicklow following a first round victory against Louth on Sunday 22nd January. There was plenty to admire about a new-look Meath team that included a number of young players. Most impressive of the newcomers was Clann na nGael midfielder Ciaran Fitzsimons who was outstanding and worked really well with Stephen Clynch. Kilmessan man Clynch is starting to show some of his old form and with another competitive game scheduled for next Sunday, this can only be good for Meath hurling. Paul Fagan at centre-back was also back to his customary solid form and was well-supported on the wings by Enda Keogh and Stephen Morris. The half-forward line also looked good with Eoin Marsh joining Longwood's Damien Healy who opened Meath's 2012 account with a fine point from his centre-forward berth, and Killyon's Keith Keoghan. The multi-talented and multi-experienced Nicky Horan also made a big contribution to victory. He was an excellent target man at full-forward, but more importantly, claimed seven points, four frees and two from play plus a late penalty that he sent over. That was where the experience was evident. Meath were ahead by 1-15 to 1-9 in second-half injury-time and DCU were down to 14 men after a red card was issued to centre-back Alan Griffith with about 10 minutes remaining. Horan opted to point from the penalty which meant that DCU needed three scores to win the game. This was the type of game that Meath were not going to get any credit for winning and it probably wouldn't have mattered too much to anyone, apart from the players, if they had lost. Against that background, Meath manager Cillian Farrell can be very satisified with the performance, especially as DCU started quickly and had two pointed Emmet Kent frees on the board without too much difficulty inside six minutes. Kent was the main man for DCU in the previous week's victory over Fingal, he scored 11 points in that game, and on Sunday he finished with 1-6 to his credit. However, after that tentative opening Meath stood up up to a DCU team that tried to out-muscle them, but failed. As the going got tougher, DCU wilted. Practically all of the decisions by Westmeath referee Derek Heffernan that didn't go their way resulted in bouts of whingeing from the students. And the more Meath stood up to DCU, the more often the students complained to the referee when they were penalised. They over-stepped the mark 10 minutes from time when centre-back Griffith was involved in an exchange with a Meath player that the referee didn't see. The Westmeath official took his time and consulted with umpires and a linesman before finding the culprit and brandishing the red card. That finished the students. A Meath victory didn't look likely after the early exchanges were dominated by a fluent-looking DCU side that had those two Kent points from frees on the board after six minutes. Conceding frees was a weakness that Meath exhibited in the opening half. Healy opened Meath's account when he scored that fine point from play in the 11th minute before Clynch set up Fitzsimons for the equaliser a minute later. That score heralded a period of Meath dominance and as the players hit the sliotar around with confidence the scores followed with Horan (free), Healy and Fitzsimons on the mark while all DCU could muster was a Wes O'Brien point, the students first from play. Meath took a firm grip in the 30th minute when Lynch and Horan combined to set up Keoghan for a goal, the Killyon player showed some nice skill to finish to the net. Horan and Peter Durnin added points, but DCU got in for a soft goal when Kent finished a loose ball to the net and then added a point to leave the students adrift by 1-4 to 1-8 at the interval. Meath added two more points in the space of 43 seconds after the resumption from Durnin and Clynch. David Raleigh and Horan added more points, Durnin squandered a goal chance and Kent kept DCU in touch from three pointed frees while David Reidy also sent over. That maintained Meath's four-point (1-12 to 1-8) cushion by the three-quarter stage and Fitzsimons took his tally for the afternoon to three with an inspirational score after Healy wasted some good chances. When DCU were reduced to 14 it left Meath in complete control and veteran Mike Cole was introduced in the closing stages. He scored with his first touch, Horan pointed a free and then substitute Colm O Mealóid was fouled for the penalty that Horan sent over for his penultimate point. An impressive opening day performance, but another tough test next Sunday will show the manager and selectors exactly what they have ahead of the opening round of the NHL Div 3 against Kildare on Sunday 26th February. Meath are the reigning Kehoe Cup champions and will be eager to retain the trophy. Meath - Shane McGann; Cormac Reilly, Enda Fitzgerald, Danny Gleeson; Enda Keogh, Paul Fagan, Stephen Morris; Stephen Clynch (0-1), Ciaran Fitzsimons (0-3); Eoin Marsh, Damien Healy (0-2), Keith Keoghan (1-0); David Raleigh (0-1), Nicky Horan (0-7 five frees), Peter Durnin (0-2). Subs - Mike Cole (0-1) for Raleigh 57 mins, Sean Heavey for Keoghan 59m, C O Mealoid for Marsh 68m, James Kelly for Durnin, Cathal Flaherty for Healy 70m. DCU - B McCormack (Tipperary); S Kelly (Carlow), W Eviston (Tipperary), J Whelan (Wexford); S McGrath (Dublin), A Griffith (Wexford), J Ging (Laois); JJ Lennon (Kilkenny), Q Lynch (Galway 0-1 free); E Kent (Wexford 1-6 six frees), W O'Brien (Cork 0-1), S Griffith (Wexford); D Reidy (Clare 0-1), C Foley (Dublin), J Cullen (Wexford). Sub - G Muldoon (Galway) for S Griffith 51 mins. Referee - Derek Heffernan (Westmeath)