Meath edged out in Croke Park thriller

Meath exited the All-Ireland SFC at Croke Park when they lost out narrowly to Tyrone by 2-9 to 0-17 in a game they will feel they could have won as Tyrone finished with 14 men following the dismissal of Stephen O'Neill for a second yellow card.

Eamon Wallace scored his first championship goal to open Meath's account in the seventh minute with his pace a significant factor as he stretched the Tyrone rearguard after Conor Gillespie's run made the opening.

That was the high point of the opening half for the Royals as they didn't score again from play until Stephen Bray sent over a fantastic point from the Cusack Stand sideline in the 34th minute.

Mickey Newman converted two frees and '45' to complete Meath's first-half tally as they trailed by 1-4 to 0-11 at the interval.

Sean Cavanagh's contribution of five successive points (three frees) between the 22nd and 32nd minutes reflected the difference between the teams in that opening half as Tyrone hit the target with more conviction.

Three points from Darren McCurry and two by Matthew Donnell kept Tyrone in the ascendancy while full-forward Stephen O'Neill's solitary contribution to the scoreboard was as a result of Donal Keogan losing possession as he tried to get forward.

Newman added a pointed free a minute into the second-half and followed that with a penalty goal. Wallace picked up a yellow card but also sent over three fine points from play as Meath briefly hit the front.

Tyrone steadied the ship with a brace of points apiece from Cavanagh and McCurry and one by half-time substitute Aidan Cassidy as Tyrone took a 0-16 to 2-8 advantage into the final 10 minutes.

Newman made it a one-point game when he converted a free in the 61st minute and soon after was denied an equaliser by the woodwork.

Cavanagh added a late point for Tyrone who were hanging on in the last couple of minutes and had O'Neill sent-off for that second yellow card near the end.

Meath - Paddy O'Rourke; Donal Keogan, Kevin Reilly, Bryan Menton; Padraic Harnan, Mickey Burke, Seamus Kenny; Brian Meade, Conor Gillespie; Eamon Wallace (1-3), Damien Carroll, Graham Reilly; Stephen Bray (0-1), Joe Sheridan, Michael Newman (1-5). Subs - Brian Farrell for Sheridan 42 mins, Peadar Byrne for Carroll 50m, Andrew Tormey for Meade 52m, Ciaran Lenehan for Kenny 67m.

Conall Collier