More questions than answers as Meath struggle to impress

LEINSTER SFC Just where Meath are in terms of provincial contenders is no clearer following a stuttering display

After a turbulent week it was normal service resumed for Meath as they brushed aside the challenge of a determined Carlow by 1-5-20 to 0-5-9 at Pairc Tailteann today to book their place in the Leinster SFC quarter-final against Offaly next Sunday.

Following the surprise departure of coaches Joe McMahon and Martin Corey after the loss to Louth in the league two weeks ago, Meath were the focus of attention on Sunday, and while Carlow did cause a few problems, it was a Sunday stroll for the Royals.

Manager Robbie Brennan didn't provide any further clarity as to why McMahon and Corey stepped down from their roles as coaches, but the Dunboyne man did say he was disappointed to see them go.

In an unusual scenario for post-match interviews, the Co Board chairman Jason Plunkett sat alongside the manager and quickly said that Brennan had already clarified the situation when asked if the coaches had offered any reasons for their departure.

Reflecting on the game Brennan must be frustrated that Meath struggled to hit the heights he expected of them, especially against a Carlow side that had only met their new manager, Joe Murphy, for the first time last Wednesday.

This Leinster SFC opener was a hiding to nothing for Meath. It they won pulling up and blew Carlow out of the water, the narrative would have been 'sure it was only Carlow', while if they struggled over the line and made hard work of it then the critics would have surmised Meath weren't good enough.

The reality is that this performance was somewhere in between.

When they were good, they were very, very good, but when they were poor they were average.

The concession of 19 points, although it was only 14 scores, will be a disappointment. Carlow were afforded the time and space to kick five two-pointers when aided by a very significant wind in the second-half and those defensive issues will have to be addressed.

In contrast, Meath were very sound in the opening half, limiting Carlow to just two points from play, while kicking 22 points in the period, including five two-pointers.

It was a second quarter blitz, to add to a bright opening five minutes, that put the issue to bed before half-time.

Meath flew out of the traps with points from Jack Kinlough (two), Eoghan Frayne (free) and Jack Flynn inside the opening six minutes. Carlow replied with a pointed free from Conor Crowley, but two-point scores from Ruairi Kinsella and Keith Curtis and a 20-metre free from the returning Mathew Costello extended Meath's lead to 0-9 to 0-1.

Then Meath started to fluff their lines a little. A defensive mistake gifted Ross Dunphy a point and when Kevin Murphy sold a super dummy before firing over a fine score the Carlow men were back to within just six points, 20 minutes in.

Costello settled the Royals with their first score in seven minutes, a free, but Carlow almost landed a two-pointer against the breeze when Conor Doyle struck the upright from distance.

On the counter from that let-off Conor Duke pointed and then the floodgates opened as Meath put the contest beyond Carlow.

Kinsella, Costello and Diarmuid Moriarty made it 0-14 to 0-3 before Frayne landed a two-point free which was awarded as Carlow tackled within four yards of a solo-and-go.

Crowley pointed a simple free as Meath carelessly left just two in attack, but they responded with two-pointers from Flynn and Frayne either side of another point for Kinsella to make it 0-21 to 0-4.

Kevin Murphy (free) and Frayne traded points in the one minute of added time as Meath took an unassailable 0-22 to 0-5 lead to the dressing room.

Carlow's first two scores of the second period were two-pointers from Ciaran Moran and Kevin Murphy (free), both of which were responded to with points from Kinsella and Costello (free).

Flynn did create a goal chance, but was denied by Johnny Furey as Meath responded to another Carlow point from Niall Hickey with scores from Ciaran Caulfield and Bryan Menton to make it 0-26 to 0-10.

Another two-pointer for the visitors from Conor Doyle was cancelled out by a well-worked goal which was finished superbly by Kinsella as Meath stretched their lead to 1-26 to 0-12.

The remainder was scrappy and fragmented by injuries and substitutions.

Carlow outscored Meath by 0-7 to 0-4 in the final quarter, but the hosts were never seriously troubled as Duke, Moriarty, Frayne (free) and Jason Scully kept the scoreboard ticking over in response to scores from Conor Doyle (one two-pointer and a '45'), Crowley, Hickey (two-pointer) and Paddy McDonnell.

Carlow did have one goal chance when Hogan was caught out of his goals, but he got back well to put in a tackle on Mikey Bambrick whose shot was cleared off the line by a combination of Donal Keogan and Sean Rafferty.

It was that sort of day where Meath got over the line without setting the world alight.

Meath - Billy Hogan; Seamus Lavin, Seán Rafferty, Brian O'Halloran; Eoin Harkin, Donal Keogan, Ciarán Caulfield (0-1); Jack Flynn (0-3 one two-pointer), Bryan Menton (0-1); Conor Duke (0-2), Ruairi Kinsella (1-5 one two-pointer), Jack Kinlough (0-2); Keith Curtis (0-2 two-pointer), Mathew Costello (0-4 three frees), Eoghan Frayne (0-7 one two-pointer, one two-point free, two frees). Subs - Diarmuid Moriarty (0-2) for Kinlough 20m, Ronan Ryan for Lavin 48m, Jason Scully (0-1) for Kinsella 49m, Michael Murphy for Harkin 52m, Cillian O'Sullivan for Murphy 68m.

Carlow - Johnny Furey; Paddy Regan, Mark Furey, Colin Byrne; Shane Clarke, Mikey Bambrick, John Murphy; Ciaran Moran (0-2 two-pointer), Liam Brennan; Paddy McDonnell (0-1), Ross Dunphy (0-1), Conor Doyle (0-5 one two-pointer, one two-point free, one '45'); Aaron Amond, Kevin Murphy (0-4 one two-point free, one free), Conor Crowley (0-3 two frees). Subs - Niall Hickey (0-3 one two-pointer) for Regan half-time, Sean Murphy for Brennan 48m, Mark Mullen for Amond 51m, Cormac Lomax for K Murphy 62m, Lee Moore for Byrne 66m.

Referee - Paul Faloon (Down).