Meath win with plenty to spare
Meath got back to winning ways today at Trim with a comprehensive 32-point victory by 2-35 to 0-9 against Donegal in a crucial NHL Div 2B game.
Donegal made a positive start with a second minute point from Sean McVeigh as Meath tallied three quick wides from good positions.
However, the hosts made amends soon after when Adam Gannon got the better of Donegal corner back Dara Grant and finished to the net.
That set the trend for an avalanche of Meath points from Steven Clynch (three), a brace apiece from Joey Keena and Gannon with Stephen Morris, James Toher and Damien Healy completing the tally that helped Meath to a substantial 1-10 to 0-3 first-quarter advantage.
Donegal displayed admirable battling qualities with McVeigh adding two more points, but all they could muster for the remainder of the half was a 36th minute Lee Henderson pointed free as they trailed by 0-4 to 1-19 at the interval.
It was really target practice for Meath during that second-quarter with Clynch and Toher each claiming three points, Kilmacud Crokes man Tom Clarke added two and Gannon also made a contribution.
Meath also tallied nine first-half wides with Donegal managing four from a limited number of chances and they also introduced Justin McGhee midway through the half for midfielder Stephen Gillespie who sustained a shoulder injury.
Th second-half followed a similar pattern with grim determination sustaining the Donegal effort as Henderson from three frees and a '65' along with a good Sam Doherty point from play completing their tally.
There was also a great goal chance in the 15th minute when McVeigh made great run and made an opening for Doherty who was denied by a spectacular Shane McGann save.
Meath substitute Luke Martyn found the Donegal net with his first touch eight minutes from time while the hosts picked off the points without too much difficuly through Clynch (six), Clarke (four), Morris (three), Sean Geraghty, Keena and Sean Quigley.
Meath – Shane McGann; Cormac Reilly, David Donoghue, Shane Whitty; Damien Healy (0-1), Ronan Sherlock, Keith Keoghan; Sean Heavey, Sean Geraghty (0-1); Steven Clynch (0-12 six frees), Tom Clarke (0-6), Joey Keena (0-3); Stephen Morris (0-4), James Toher (0-4 one free), Adam Gannon (1-3). Subs – Sean Quigley (0-1) for Toher half-time, Shane Brennan for Heavey 48m, Neil Heffernan for Whitty 51m, Luke Martyn (1-0) for Gannon 61m, Eanna Harrington for Keena 62m,
Donegal – Paul Burns; Dara Grant, Pauric Doherty, Shane Gallen; Paul Sheridan, Joe Boyle, Niall Cleary; Stephen Gillespie, Jack O'Loughlin; Bernard Lafferty, Ciaran Mathewson, Sean McVeigh (0-3); Sam Doherty (0-1), Paul Nelson, Lee Henderson (0-5 four frees, one '65'). Subs – Justin McGhee for Gillespie 18 mins, Dylan Lafferty for Burns 43m, Conor O'Grady for Cleary 50m, Colm Flood for Doherty and Sean Curran for Sheridan both 61m.
Referee – Patrick Murphy (Carlow).