Sport

Derry victory puts pressure on Meath

Derry 0-13 Meath 0-10: DERRY HAVE often proved a bogey team for Meath in the league down the years and yesterday’s victory at…

Mon Mar 19 2012 - 00:00

Derry 0-13 Meath 0-10:DERRY HAVE often proved a bogey team for Meath in the league down the years and yesterday's victory at Navan's Páirc Tailteann eases their relegation worries as well as putting the home side in danger of the dreaded drop to Division Three.

Both teams have five points after four games, but the momentum is with Derry following yesterday’s victory.

After being on level terms six times, Derry pushed on to take control while assisted by the breeze in the second half while Meath were left to regret a wasteful total of 15 wides, compared to just six by the winners.

In the first period Paddy Bradley and Stephen Bray delighted the respective supporters with well-taken points and white flag efforts from Brian McCallion and Blaine Gormley (from a 45) left them 0-9 to 0-7 to the good at the break. That advantage could have been more as Michael Friel had a great goal chance on 33 minutes but Meath netminder David Gallagher made a smart advance to deny him. Meath manager Séamus McEnaney took the unusual decision of playing top forward Graham Reilly in a wing-back role from where he made some threatening runs and found the target in the early stages.

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After Bray levelled from free at the start of the second period, Derry hit the next three scores with Conleth Gilligan slotting over a brace of frees before Gormley’s second converted 45 leaving three in it for the first time.

Although Meath put on a lot of pressure, Derry’s tactic of crowding players in possession made bridging the gap too difficult for the home side. Charlie Kielt stretched the lead for four points before Brian Farrell returned as a late substitute to close the scoring from a free.

DERRY: B Gillis; B McCallion (0-1), C McCarron, A McAlynn; C Kielt (0-1), M Craig, SL McGoldrick; M Friel, PJ McCloskey; Patsy Bradley (0-1), C Gilligan (0-2, 2 frees), B Gormley (0-2, two 45s); E Lynn (0-2), Paddy Bradley (0-4, two frees), C O’Boyle. Subs: E Scullion for McCallion (61 mins), N Forester for Gilligan (66 mins), E Browne for Friel (70 mins).

MEATH: D Gallagher; M Burke, K Reilly, C O’Connor; C King, B Menton, G Reilly (0-1); T Walsh, M Ward; S Kenny (0-1), S Bray (0-5, 3 frees), D Tobin; P Gilsenan, C Ward (0-2, 2 frees) S McAnarney. Subs: G O’Brien for O’Connor (18 mins), A Forde for King (51 mins), C Gillespie (61 mins), B Farrell (0-1, free) for C Ward (67 mins).

Referee: P Hughes (Armagh).