Meath march on as Donegal are downed
Three wins from three outings. It has been a pretty decent start to the NHL Div 2B for Meath and their manager Seoirse Bulfin. Pleasing no doubt to all involved.
After victories over Wicklow and Sligo, Donegal became the latest team to succumb to their attacking verve and enterprise, Meath winning on a 1-23 to 0-16 scoreline.
The Ulster side arrived in Pairc Tailteann today with the exact same record as Meath with two wins from two outings so something had to give and it did, the visitors' resistence but not their resilience.
The Donegal side fell behind from very early on and stayed in the home team's slipsteam throughout the game. They might have lost but Donegal looked a well-prepared, motivated unit suggesting the small ball game is going through something of a sustained growth splurge in the north west.
The result means Meath are in a strong position with their three from three record putting them in pole position.
They are now off for two weeks before they take on Tyrone in their next assignment (in Omagh on Sunday 5th March) and you have to expect they will go into that game odds-on favourites to emerge with a victory. All in all it makes for a happy scenario right now for manager Bulfin and his troops.
Meath led 0-14 to 0-8 at the interval and never really looked like they might be overtaken by the Donegal men who at times looked lethargic and heavy legged, not surprising perhaps considering they made the long journey from the north-west that morning
They had played, and defeated London away the pervious week and according to one member of the official party who travelled to Navan on Sunday, it would have been a step too far to expect to be put up in a hotel for this game.
That's not to take anything from the Meath performance. The home contingent were bright and alert from the start. They employed a much more direct - 'get it into the forwards as quickly as possible' - approach and it worked well. Gone from the home team's strategy was the intricate, at times over-elaborate passing out of defence. Now it's about hitting the forwards early and often and letting them do their work.
Certainly it's an approach players like Eamon O Donnchadha has thrived on. Just as he was in the opening game of the campaign against Wicklow, the Clann na nGael man was a huge presence for the Royals, always likely to do something once given possession. He hit five points from play, all neatly taken with the type of clinical elan that underlines his formidable talent as a finisher.
Once again also Podge O'Hanrahan stepped up to the plate in terms of free-taking. He has proved to be more than an adequate replacement for that master marksman Jack Regan who is still looking to gain full fitness after a spell out injured. He came on in this game and took another step to full match fitness.
O'Hanrahan finished his day with 11 points, nine frees, but did much more besides. He was in the thick of the action around midfield and released colleagues with some neat, accurate passing.
Nicky Potterton is another who has benifitted from a regular supply of ball and he chipped over two fine points with James Toher, James Kelly (a huge effort from inside his own half), Pa Ryan and Simon Ennis others to contribute to Meath's hefty final scoreline. The ever busy, always alert Patrick Barnwell also came on to clip over a super score.
Declan Coulter was by some way Donegal's best player, when it came to converting frees and general play. He bagged eight points, including two fine points from play but it says something about the threat Donegal carried that all six of their forwards scored despite a sturdy, stubborn display by the Meath defence.
Toher was once again immense in the heart of that defence, Damien Healy also did well at full-back. Goalkeeper Charlie Ennis didn't have much to do but he did make an important, smart save in the second-half when he got a touch to a Coulter shot and diverted the ball out for a '65.' There was about 45 minutes gone at that stage and a goal could have sparked a sustained Donegal revival. Could have.
However Meath were by some way the better team particularly in the final 20 minutes or so. Their goal arrived in the first minute of injury time, Jamie Leavy finishing sharply after a Regan shot had rebounded off a post.
It's a very positive sign to see a team looking stronger as a game goes on. It's a testament to Meath's fitness. Another reason why they should be pleased with themselves. Another reason to indicate the Royals under Bulfin are going places.
SCORERS
Meath - Padraig O'Hanrahan 0-11 nine frees; Eamon O Donnchadha 0-5; Jamie Leavy 1-0; Nicky Potterton 0-2; James Kelly 0-1; James Toher 0-1; Pa Ryan 0-1; Simon Ennis 0-1; Patrick Barnwell 0-1.
Donegal - Declan Coulter 0-8 five frees, one '65''; Liam McKinney 0-2; Gavin Browne 0-1; Ronan McDermott 0-1; Gerry Gilmore 0-1; Ruairi Campbell 0-1; Richie Ryan 0-1; Daire O Maoileidigh 0-1.
TEAMS
Meath - Charlie Ennis; Stephen Morris, Mickey Burke, Brendan McKeon; Damien Healy, James Toher, James Kelly; Pa Ryan, Martin Healy; Sean Quigley, Simon Ennis, Niall McLarnon; Nicky Potterton, Eamon O Donnchadha, Padraig O' Hanrahan. Subs - Jack Regan for Burke half-time, Patrick Barnwell for Quigley 43 mins, Mikey Cole for McLarnon 57m, Joey Cole for Potterton 66m, Jamie Leavy for Kelly 68m.
Donegal - Luke White; Stephen McBride, Michael Donaghue, Padraig Doherty; Gavin Browne, Jack O'Loughlin, Brian McIntyre; Conor Gartland, Declan Coulter; Liam McKinney, Ronan McDermott, Gerry Gilmore; Ruairi Campbell, Richie Ryan, Daire O Maoileidigh. Subs - Bernard Lafferty for Ryan 52 mins, Ryan Hilferty for Coulter 64m.
Referee - Kevin Jordan (Tipperary).