Promotion dream turns to nightmare in Inniskeen

There goes that dream.

With results going Meath's way elsewhere they failed to get the job done themselves in Inniskeen as Louth avoid relegation with a stunning 1-5-9 to 0-4-9 victory to deny the Royals promotion to NFL Div 1 today.

Roscommon's surprise draw with Westmeath and Cork's win over Cavan meant a Meath victory over Louth would have put Robbie Brennan's side up, but they couldn't hold up their side of the bargain.

If this group of Meath players never see beautiful Inniskeen again it'll still be too soon as they suffered another first-half collapse at the adopted temporary, sometimes, home of Louth GAA.

The stony grey soil in the homeland of poet Patrick Kavanagh was once again infertile ground for Meath as Louth used the wind to devastating effect to build up a comfortable half-time lead which they held on to.

Despite the absence of their two best players, Sam Mulroy and Craig Lennon, Louth still played like wily old foxes, no doubt with plenty of guidance from their experienced management that includes Ger Brennan, Niall Moyna and James McCartan.

Their game management when Meath applied the pressure in the second-half was masterful. They slowed the tempo of the contest and disrupted Meath momentum with cynical fouling.

Meath's own indiscipline also cost them, particularly in the latter stages when they were caught out for a couple of infractions that allowed the ball be moved forward 50 metres, and into scoreable range for Ryan Burns.

Meath did get back to within four points in the 71st minute when Jordan Morris lofted over a brilliant two-pointer to make it 0-17 to 1-18.

With seven minutes of added time announced there was still time, but a minute later Morris was tackled as he shot for as two-pointer and suffered a nasty knee injury that looks to have ended his season.

The six minute delay while Morris was cared for on the pitch before being stretchered off broke that Meath momentum and with Morris gone off Meath broke the 'three-up' rule and were punished with a tap over insurance score from Burns that ensured no way back.

Despite getting back to within four late on, all the damage was done in a disappointing opening half during which Meath stood off too casually in defence to allow Louth kick four two-pointers and they also conceded a goal from a sloppy kickout.

In contrast to Louth efficiency Meath were wasteful as they squandered almost a dozen scoring chances against the wind and despite two superb scores from play from Morris, one from a free from the Kingscourt Stars man and a two-point free from Eoghan Frayne Meath trailed by 0-5 to 1-13 at the break.

After a solid opening five minutes Meath conceded first when Peter Lynch pointed in Louth's first attack. From the next kickout Billy Hogan tried to go short to Seamus Lavin, but against the stiff breeze it was never on and Sean Reynolds intercepted before setting up Kieran McArdle for a goal.

After Frayne's response from a 20-metre free Burns hit a two-point free following a careless foul by Jack Kinlough and from the next kickout Louth won possession and Tommy Durnin pointed.

Another Burns free was followed by a let-off from Meath when Hogan deflected Reynolds goal chance onto the post and then the Longwood man made a great save with his feet to deny Ciaran Downey.

Meath were all at sea in that spell. They were caught out for not having three up and punished by Burns who brought the free out to the edge of the arc before popping over.

Durnin kicked another two-pointer unopposed before Frayne replied with an orange flag score from a free to make it 0-3 to 1-9.

Another two-pointer, this time from Conor Brannigan extended Louth's lead before two superb points from Morris sandwiched a two-pointer from Brannigan which gave Louth their 11-point interval lead.

Jack Flynn set about eating into that lead with a point after 16 seconds and further scores from Frayne free and Aaron Lynch looked to be pointing Meath in the right direction.

However Louth settled again. As Frayne missed a two-point free attempt Emmet Carolan and two frees from Burns wiped out Meath's positive start to the second period.

A two-point free from Morris renewed hope, but Meath struggled to build momentum as Kieran McArdle and Burns capitalised on poor defending either side of scores from Morris (free) and Flynn to make it 1-18 to 0-12 on the hour mark.

Another missed two-point chance from a free was followed by a good save from Niall McDonnell to deny Mathew Costello before Keith Curtis and Morris landed two-pointers from play either side of a Frayne free to close the gap to four points, 0-17 to 1-19 with all of injury-time remaining, but it wasn't to be and their misery was compounded by the injury to Morris and the fact that results elsewhere went their way.

Louth - Niall McDonnell; Daire Nally, Dermot Campbell, Donal McKenny; Emmet Carolan (0-1), Peter Lynch (0-1), Conall McKeever; Tommy Durnin (0-3 one two-point), Paul Matthews; Kieran McArdle (1-1), Andy McDonnell, Sean Reynolds; Fearghal Malone, Ciaran Downey, Ryan Burns (0-9 five frees, two two-point frees). Subs - Conor Brannigan (0-4 two two-points) for McDonnell 12m, Dylan McKeown for Reynolds 44m, Dara McDonnell for Malone 57m, Liam Flynn for K Downey 70m.

Meath - Billy Hogan; Seamus Lavin, Seán Rafferty, Donal Keogan; Eoin Harkin, Brian O'Halloran, Ciarán Caulfield; Jack Flynn (0-2), Bryan Menton; Conor Duke, Jack Kinlough, Ruairi Kinsella; Jordan Morris (0-8 one two-point, two frees, one two-point free), Aaron Lynch (0-1), Eoghan Frayne (0-4 two frees, two-point free). Subs - Mathew Costello for Duke 42m, Keith Curtis (0-2 two-point) for Kinlough 51m, Shane Walsh for Kinsella, Cathal Hickey for Lynch both 60m, Jason Scully for Harkin 67m.

Referee - Kieran Eannetta (Tyrone).