Meath 2-12
Fermanagh 0-11
Paul Keane reports from Páirc Tailteann
MEATH ARE BACK in the top flight of the Allianz football league for the first time since 2006 after finishing their Division 2 campaign with a power-packed performance in Navan.
The Royals could afford to lose by nine points and still return to Division 1 but after a shaky start duly came good to record their sixth win of a memorable campaign.
Goals from Barry Dardis, his third in four games, and Man of the Match James McEntee did the trick for Meath who celebrated on the pitch with supporters afterwards.
A crowd of 6,500 turned out at Pairc Tailteann and Meath will hope for a strong support again next weekend when they play Donegal in the Division 2 final at Croke Park.
It’ll be an opportunity to make amends for Meath’s only loss in the campaign when they came up shy of Declan Bonner’s Ulster champions in Round 2.
They won all their games since and got on top of Fermanagh after a difficult first 20 minutes or so to ultimately record a seven-point win.
Fermanagh, chasing promotion themselves at the start of the afternoon, had the strong wind initially and moved 0-4 to 0-0 ahead after four minutes but were undone by a huge amount of wides.
They struck 11 wides in the first-half, and 17 in total, and Meath took advantage to finish the half strong and lead 1-4 to 0-6 at half-time.
Cillian O’Sullivan was terrific for Meath again and fired three first-half points while Dardis grabbed their goal in the 29th minute after McEntee’s pass.
Fermanagh briefly tied it up after the restart but Meath reeled off 1-4 between the 40th and 47th minutes to move 2-8 to 1-7 clear and effectively seal the victory.
McEntee’s goal came in the 47th minute after a clever burst of pace from Bryan McMahon which set him clear in the danger area to feed the marauding McEntee.
O’Sullivan, the influential Mickey Newman and sub James Conlon all tacked on points in the run in for Meath who saw out the game in businesslike fashion to the delight of their fans.
Meath scorers: Barry Dardis 1-1, James McEntee 1-1, Cillian O’Sullivan 0-4 (0-1f), Mickey Newman 0-3 (0-1f), Ben Brennan 0-1 (0-1f), Bryan Menton 0-1, James Conlon 0-1.
Fermanagh scorers: Ryan Jones 0-3, Ciaran Corrigan 0-2, Sean Quigley 0-2 (0-1f), Conall Jones 0-2, Ultan Kelm 0-1, Darragh McGurn 0-1 (0-1f).
Meath
1. Andrew Colgan (Donaghmore Ashbourne)
2. Seamus Lavin (St Peter’s, Dunboyne)
3. Conor McGill (Ratoath)
7. Shane Gallagher (Simonstown Gaels)
5. James McEntee (Curraha)
6. Donal Keogan (Rathkenny)
4. Ronan Ryan (Summerhill)
8. Bryan Menton (Donaghmore Ashbourne)
9. Shane McEntee (St Peter’s, Dunboyne)
10. Cillian O’Sullivan (Moynalvey)
13. Bryan McMahon (Ratoath)
23. Ben Brennan (St Colmcilles)
15. Thomas O’Reilly (Wolfe Tones)
22. Barry Dardis (Summerhill)
14. Michael Newman (Kilmainham)
Substitutes:
20. Graham Reilly (St Colmcilles) for Brennan (h/t)
12. Darragh Campion (Skryne) for McMahon (56)
18. Adam Flanagan (Clonard) for Shane McEntee (62)
19. Gavin McCoy (St Peter’s, Dunboyne) for Gallagher (64)
24. James Conlon (St Colmcilles) for O’Reilly (65)
Fermanagh
16. James McGrath (Belcoo)
2. Lee Cullen (Beal na Leice)
4. Kane Connor (Beal na Leice)
17. Jonny Cassidy (Inis Ceithleann)
3. Che Cullen (Beal na Leice)
6. James McMahon (Roslea)
13. Ryan Lyons (Erne Gaels)
8. Eoin Donnelly (An Cuach)
9. Ryan Jones (Derrygonnelly)
12. Aidan Breen (Tempo)
5. Ultan Kelm (Erne Gaels)
7. Ciaran Corrigan (Droichead Mhig Uidhir)
15. Sean Quigley (Roslea)
14. Conall Jones (Derrygonnelly)
11. Declan McCusker (Naomh Seosamh)
Substitutes:
10. Paul McCusker (Naomh Seosamh) for Lyons (45)
21. Daniel Teague (Droichead Mhig Uidhir) for Kelm (49)
25. Darragh McGurn (Beal na Leice) for Conall Jones (56)
23. Tom Clarke (Lisnaskea) for Donnelly (58)
20. Conor Magee for Quigley (58)
Referee: James Molloy (Galway).
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Looks like Mayo will be asking Santa Claus for Sam this year
@david hynes: Now you’re just being silly there David. Even we know Santa doesn’t come until Christmas eve ..
@david hynes: even if they whole championship was cancelled they’d still be runners up.
Croke park in December. Rain and hail. Extortionate ticket prices. Getting dark at 4pm and a very long dismal drive home. No thanks.
@Patrick Agnew: Haha stay at home so. Some of us would be delighted with the misery of being in croker in december
@Patrick Agnew: I’d say you’re the life and soul of a party. Generally, ticket prices are good value with many being double headers. As for the weather, this being Ireland, you’ve as much chance of being soaked in July as you do in December.
@Gareth Ward: off you go Gareth. I’ll watch it in the pub.
@Patrick Agnew: I’ll meet you there for a pint so after ive been to the games!
@Patrick Agnew: Do ya hear this lad? Christ. The pessimism. I’d crawl over broken glass to see my county play in a December final. Driving home from a match in the dark, what will they think of next!
@Patrick Agnew: You’re from Fermanagh Paddy, you won’t need to worry about it…
@Joe Brennan: good spot joe but I’m from Armagh
@Patrick Agnew: Still won’t.
Hopefully galway can beat mayo to relegate them
How is the provincial system fair for lets say an Ulster team who have to play a lot more and tougher games. Open draw would have been fairer and a good chance to trial something different. Instead its the same old.
@Lad: The provincial system has never been fair. So its not any different this year
@Gareth Ward: there is no back door? That does make it more unfair.
@Lad: Agree about Ulster but this is best way as open draw means some teams dont even have provincial title to go go for. I for one will be looking forward to it!!!
@Lad: Probably. But someone else would have a reason to complain then
@BrianG: true but they have a chance to go for that every year. What about giving them one good chance off the All Ireland. Last 32, round of 16, quarters, semis and final. Fair for everyone and gives someone like kildare, Tipp, Derry a real chance to go further than they could ever hope for the AI, rather than through the province. Give them hope, its crucial in GAA, just like nowhere but Newbridge and what that meant for kildare.
Just imagine a game of hurling in a potential snowstorm
@Sean Treacy: Bring it on baby
@Sean Treacy: just give me a game of hurling anywhere right now ..hail , rain or snow .
This will shorten the winter for a lot of people.
Roscommon at 100/1, twill be the best Xmas ever had
Lets go 6 in a row!
@Johnny 5: “Yis can fook off with your ga, Liverpool are playing Southampton at 4 o clock.” Jesus wept
@Baz:
Ha ha you can watch the paint dry Wel watch a mans game
Football so predictable.
Hurling so exciting.
@Colman Walsh: your comment was also predictable
Galway for the double this year at senior and U20, and the camogie and ladies football too!
@David Finn: Is that not a quadruple?
Kerry v Galway and Dublin v Donegal for the semis. Repeat of last years final, Dubs to shade it by a couple of points.
@Johnny 5: jes lad say if Galway can get back to the form they had up till this will give Kerry a good run for there money
@Johnny 5: jaysus I dunno, I like the name Johnny 5.
@Johnny 5: our game v Tyrone in ballybofey will be massive.
Should the semi finals not be Leinster v Munster and Connacht v Ulster? Before the break the super 8′s would have been Connacht and Ulster winners in one group and Leinster and Munster in the other. Why the change now?
@Alan Kenny: They obviously want a kerry dublin final
@Alan Kenny: I’d imagine 2020 framework moves to 2021. Hopefully back to normal
not a hope we will be well into lockdown 2 by then
Is there relegation in the leagues ??
@Gareth Ward: I would say so. Bottom two will still get relegated.
Also why are games to be finished on penalty’s? These are not low scoring games, there could easily be made a new rule to finish a game after a draw in extra time, such as first team to lead by 2 points or more wins.. Much fairer.
@Lad: Penalties are more craic anyway. Plus it could take an hour for a team to get a 2 point lead
@Gareth Ward: Seriously? An hour?
Ya because All Ireland Finals are all about the craic.
@Lad: Well i cant put an exact time on it. But imagine how untra defensive teams would get then! An hour might be generous
And yes, all ireland finals are great craic!
@Lad: can you imagine Tyrone defending a lead in extra time with that rule. Christ there be lads building blocks across the 45m line
I’m just glad we’re having championships – but fingers crossed! The virus will do what it wants to do.
Good luck to all – GAA management, teams and players.
Limerick league champions. So only lost two of the last 7 trophies they could have won. 2* league 1a, 1 all Ireland, 1 * league 1b, 1* munster
@Trevor: Well Clare are also league champions. 1a and 1b are the same level, it was division one split into 2 groups
@Gareth Ward: 1a and 1b are not the same level
@Trevor: Do your research kid, they are
@Trevor: they are the same level changed format start of this year
@Gareth Ward: use your brain. Also I would have included a munster cup win if I was going to the level of lower 1b
@Trevor: Hahaha you are making less and less sense with every comment
it’s an absolute farce. Never has it been easier for Dublin and Kerry to walk their provinces.
No other div 1 team from their provinces next year. Kerry might not even face a div 2 side.
Absolute huge asterix joke.
@Peter McGlynn: no there won’t be any asterix next to it, if Kerry or Dublin win the all ireland it’s cause they are the best team, its not there fault if the rest aren’t up to the standard.
Dream on GAA
Another handy all Ireland for Tipp