Allianz Football League Division 2

• Down 1-19 Cork 2-15
• Louth 1-15 Roscommon 1-17
• Meath 3-21 Cavan 0-20
• Monaghan 2-29 Westmeath 2-21

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A BREAKTHROUGH AFTERNOON for Meath in Navan, a first win under new manager Robbie Brennan.

Former captain Ronan Jones’ brace of goals, another from Jordan Morris and eight sweet points from the boot of Eoghan Frayne helped the Royals to a 3-21 to 0-20 home win over Cavan.

Fresh off their Round 1 loss in Cork, when Meath scored 21 points and were perhaps unlucky not to take something from the game, they were this time given a helping hand by the opposition.

All three of Meath’s goals were soft concessions from Cavan’s perspective with Jones kicking to an empty net for Meath’s first after a turnover and speedy counterattack.

Jones beat the goalkeeper in the air for Meath’s second while Morris somehow squeezed a soccer style kick through the legs of Nevin O’Donnell, who was brought on in goals for Cavan, for the third goal.

Meath led by 1-12 to 0-8 at half-time and were still seven clear at the beginning of the final quarter before adding two more goals.

Two-pointers were a feature of the game with the teams sharing 10 in all, six for Cavan and four for Meath.

Gearóid McKiernan came on for Cavan, making his first appearance since 2023, and the former captain kicked over three of those two-pointers for the Breffni.

Oisin Kiernan and Darragh Lovett also struck points from outside the new 40m arc for Cavan but they were always chasing a Meath side for whom Jack Flynn and Morris excelled.

Cavan manager Raymond Galligan and Meath manager Robbie Brennan shake hands after the game. Laszlo Geczo / INPHO Laszlo Geczo / INPHO / INPHO

Meanwhile, Monaghan’s bid for an instant return to Division 1 is looking good following back-to-back wins, the Farney overcoming Westmeath by 2-29 to 2-21.

Ryan O’Toole’s first-half goal, and a two-pointer from sweeper ‘keeper Rory Beggan, propelled Gabriel Bannigan’s side to a 1-15 to 1-8 half-time lead.

New Westmeath manager Dermot McCabe will have been pleased with his side’s response which included a goal from Robbie Forde and points from the likes of Luke Loughlin.

But Monaghan finished strongly and substitute Jack McCarron struck their second goal to secure the eight-point win and joint top spot in Division 2.

They are locked at the top on four points with Roscommon who beat Louth 1-17 to 1-15 in Drogheda.

The Murtagh brothers, Diarmuid and Ciarain, shared 10 points between them while Keith Doyle hit Roscommon’s goal.

The Rossies might have anticipated an easier win with a double score, 0-10 to 0-5, half-time lead and they extended their advantage to six.

But a Val Leddy goal for Louth reignited the contest and the hosts had the lead down to the minimum at one stage late on.

Down are up and running with their first points of the campaign, battling back against Cork for a 1-19 to 2-15 win.

Down trailed by seven points at half-time with Chris Óg Jones striking Cork’s first-half goal.

But two-point Down scores from Pat Havern, who finished with 0-8, and James Guinness hauled them back and a Danny Magill goal inspired a stirring Mourne finale.