Meath hurlers win well in Arklow
Meath hurlers made the journey to Arklow today for a crucial NHL Div 2B game against Wicklow and produced a solid performance that saw them win impressively by 0-22 to 0-13 against a team that was in 2A last year.
Meath had good displays in the Walsh Cup last month and played Carlow (lost 1-13 to 0-19), Wexford (2-7 to 3-18) and IT Carlow (2-16 to 1-12) and that higher grade stood to them today as they dictated the game for most of the 70 minutes.
In contrast, Wicklow competed in the Kehoe Cup where they lost to Maynooth University and then defeated Louth and Fingal.
Meath included another new face in the form of Timmy Hammersley from Tipperary and he was a useful addition to the starting 15 and finished with three points to his credit.
Meath were without James Toher (injured), but had Damien Healy back in action and he made a major contribution to this victory, but it was Kilmessan's Joey Keena (seven points) who was the stand-out performer in what was a good team performance.
Meath were ahead by 0-12 to 0-7 at the interval after playing against the wind and added five more points early in the second-half to extend the advantage to 0-17 to 0-7.
Meath eased off a bit at that stage and the game became a bit ragged at times, but there was never any danger of a Wicklow recovery although Shane McGann had to make a couple of smart saves.
Meath - Shane McGann (Kiltale); Shane Whitty (Blackhall Gaels), David Donoghue (Kiltale), Stephen Morris (Blackhall Gaels); Jack Regan (Kiltale 0-6 five frees, one '65'), Ronan Sherlock (Silvermines), Sean Heavey (Kildalkey); Sean Geraghty (Kilskyre), Michael O'Grady (Dunboyne); Damien Healy (Longwood 0-1), Joey Keena (Kilmessan 0-7 six frees), Keith Keoghan (Killyon 0-2); Neil Heffernan (Trim), Timmy Hammersley (Clonoulty Rossmore 0-3), Adam Gannon (Killyon 0-2).
Subs - Tom Clarke (Kilmacud Crokes) for O'Grady 50 mins, Sean Quigley (Dunboyne) for Heffernan 62m, Ciaran Fitzsimons (Clann na nGael 0-1) for Hammersley and Heffernan for Gannon both 68m, Ciaran O'Rourke (Trim) for Heavey 69m.
Next Sunday - Meath v Mayo, Down v Wicklow; Donegal v Armagh.