Meath see off old foes Cork to remain top of table
Goals from league debutants Gavin McCoy and Barry Dardis ensured Meath remain top of NFL Div 2 following an impressive 2-12 to 1-9 victory over relegation threatened Cork in Pairc Ui Rinn tonight.
With another enterprising, intelligent display Meath managed the game superbly and even though they had both Bryan Menton and Barry Dardis sin-binned late in each half respectively they never looked in serious danger of slipping up even when Cork threatened recoveries on a couple of occasions.
From the moment Menton pointed Meath ahead after 32 seconds they were never headed and by the end of the opening quarter they were 0-5 to 0-1 clear with Mickey Newman (three) and Ben Brennan adding frees.
Brennan made it 0-6 to 0-2 in the 25th minute before Cork's best spell saw them close to within two points. After Menton was black carded Luke Connolly tagged on another score for the hosts to close the gap to 0-5 to 0-6 at the break.
However after the resumption, and with Menton still in the bin, Meath settled again with points from Graham Reilly and Thomas O'Reilly making it 0-8 to 0-6 before Menton returned.
With the captain back on board Meath stretched their lead with Newman and Cillian O'Sullivan pointing before McCoy palmed to the net from close range.
Ethan Devine made it 1-11 to 0-6 before Cork threatened a recovery again when Sean Powter palmed to the net and Mark Collins added a brace of frees, but in Dardis's nine-minute cameo he pointed brilliantly, bagged a goal from close range and was sin-binned as Meath coasted to victory and stay top of the league.
Meath – Andy Colgan; Seamus Lavin, Conor McGill, Ronan Ryan; Gavin McCoy (1-0), Donal Keogan, Shane Gallagher; Bryan Menton (0-1), Shane McEntee; Cillian O'Sullivan (0-1), Ben Brennan (0-2 one free), Darragh Campion; Bryan Menton, Mickey Newman (0-4 three frees), Thomas O'Reilly (0-1). Subs – Graham Reilly (0-1) for Brennan 31 mins, Ethan Devine (0-1) for Campion 51m, Barry Dardis (1-1) for O'Sullivan 61m, Niall Kane for McCoy 63m, Adam Flanagan for McEntee 66m.
Cork – Michael Martin; Sam Ryan, Kevin Flahive, Conor Dennehy (0-1); Kevin Crowley, Thomas Clancy, Paul Walsh; Ian Maguire, Cillian O'Hanlon; Ronan O'Toole, Luke Connolly (0-2 one free); Mattie Taylor (0-1); Michael Hurley (0-2), Ruairi Deane (0-1), Paul Kerrigan. Subs – Mark Collins (0-2 frees) for Connolly 43 mins, Brian Hurley for Walsh 45m, Tomas Clancy for Crowley 51m, Sean Powter (1-0) for M Hurley 52m, Eoin McSweeney for O'Toole 61m.
Referee – Fergal Kelly (Longford).