Tyrone 2-14

Meath 0-19 (AET)

Fergal Lynch reports from Navan

THERE WAS NO shortage of controversy in Navan tonight as Tyrone held on to advance to round two of the All-Ireland SFC qualifiers following a narrow extra-time victory over Meath.

Cathal Mcshane and Harry Loughran were the heroes for Tyrone as McShane’s point in the fifth minute of injury-time forced extra-time for the Ulster side and six minutes into the additional period Loughran palmed what proved to be the winning goal.

The game was nip and tuck throughout with Connor McAliskey in inspired form in the opening half as he boosted Tyrone to a 1-6 to 0-7 interval lead following a personal return of 1-5.

Meath turned on the power after the break and went ahead for the first time when Ben Brennan made it 0-12 to 1-8, but Tyrone proved difficult to shake off and even after the lost Tiernan McCann to a straight red card in the 62nd minute they stayed in touch.

Paddy Neilan is escorted off the field at the end of the game. Morgan Treacy / INPHO Morgan Treacy / INPHO / INPHO

Meath looked to have won the game when Brennan converted a free in the fourth minute of injury-time, but referee Paddy Neilan allowed Tyrone one more chance and they took advantage with McShane firing over the equaliser 48 seconds after the five minutes of injury-time had elapsed.

Tyrone took advantage of their reprieve and hit 1-3 in the first period of extra-time with Loughran’s goal making it 2-14 to 0-16 at the break.

However Tyrone didn’t score in the second-half of extra-time as Meath closed to within a point with scores from Thomas O’Reilly, Shane Glynn and Donal Lenihan.

Meath looked to have won a free when James McEntee appeared to have been fouled late on, but Neilan waved away the hosts pleas and it was Tyrone who advanced as Neilan was booed to the dressing room.

Scorers for Tyrone: C McAliskey 1-8 (6f), H Loughran 1-0, F Burns, C McShane 0-2 each, M McKernan, N Sludden 0-1 each.

Scorers for Meath: B Brennan 0-6 (3f), D Lenihan 0-4 (4f), J McEntee, C O’Sullivan 0-2 each, D Keogan , J Wallace, M Burke, S Glynn T O’Reilly 0-1 each.

Tyrone

16. Michael O’Neill

2. Padraig Hampsey
3. Ronan McNamee
4. Hugh Pat McGeary

5. Tiernan McCann
6. Frank Burns
7. Michael McKernan

8. Colm Cavanagh
9. Padraig McNulty

10. Mattie Donnelly
11. Niall Sludden
12. Conor Meyler

13. Cathal McShane
14. Richard Donnelly
15. Connor McAliskey

Subs – 23. Kieran McGeary for Meyler, 17. Rory Brennan for HJ McGeary both 48 mins, 19. Harry Loughran for R Donnelly 52m, 21. Declan McClure for McNulty 62m, 24. Ronan McNabb for McNamee 67m.

Extra-time – 25. Ronan O’Neill (replaced T McCann), 12. Meyler for McKernan, 20. Conall McCann for McShane, 22. Aidan McCrory for Hampsey.

Meath

1. Andrew Colgan

2. Seamus Lavin
3. Conor McGill
4. Seán Curran

5. James McEntee
6. Donal Keogan
7. Shane Gallagher

8. Bryan Menton
9. Adam Flanagan

10. Cillian O’Sullivan
11. Ben Brennan
12. Mickey Burke

22. Joey Wallace
14. Graham Reilly
15. Donal Lenihan

Subs - 23. Thomas O’Reilly for Lenihan 54 mins, 21. Eamon Wallace for Burke 55m, 13. Bryan McMahon for J Wallace 57m.

Extra-time - 19. Cian O’Brien (replaced Brennan), 25. Shane Glynn for Gallagher, 18. Dan O’Neill for McGill, 15. Lenihan for Lavin.

Referee: Paddy Neilan (Roscommon).

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