Meath ... 1-16 Mayo ... 0-12: Although it looked highly unlikely for a period in the first half, Meath won at Páirc Tailteann, Navan, yesterday as comfortably as the scoreline suggests. There was a strange occurrence three minutes after the start - Meath scored a goal. It was their first in a competitive game since finding the net in an All-Ireland qualifier against Laois last July.

Trevor Giles ended the drought, following a pass from Ollie Murphy, and the centre forward, who revelled in his customary deep role, showed his class in the second half when Mayo lost their way after threatening to run out emphatic winners before the break.

After falling a goal and a point in arrears, Mayo sent over the next seven scores. However, they tended to overdo the short passing and depended too much on corner forward Conor Mortimer to get their scores.

Mayo's lead might have been more but for a smart advance by home goalkeeper David Gallagher to deny Mortimer a possible goal. Meath came to life and struck six unanswered points to lead by 1-7 to 0-7 at the interval.

Giles hit a mighty score from the left and David Crimmins, Daithí Regan (two frees), Murphy and Donal Curtis also got on target as the pendulum was swinging in favour of Seán Boylan's men.

When a Richie Kealy shot whizzed over the bar a couple of minutes after the restart all six starting Meath forwards had scored and that was a huge improvement on previous outings in the league. Mayo manager John Maughan could have done with some of the Crossmolina players and the rest of the game was mainly exhibition stuff from Meath as Murphy and Regan posted delightful points.

MEATH: D Gallagher; M O'Reilly, S MacGabhann, N McKeigue; P Reynolds, D Fay, C Murphy; C McCarthy, N Nestor; D Curtis (0-2), T Giles (1-3, 1 free), R Kealy (0-2); D Regan (0-6, 3 frees), D Crimmins (0-1), O Murphy (0-2). Subs: P Shankey for C Murphy, N Kelly for McCarthy, T O'Connor for O'Reilly.

MAYO: P Burke; K Mortimer, P Kelly, R Connelly; A Roche (0-1), G Mullins, B Ruane; D Heaney (0-1), F Kelly; J Gill (0-1), D Tiernan, A Dillon (0-1); C Mortimer (0-5, 3 frees), D Sweeney (0-2), T Mortimer (0-1). Subs: B Maloney for Tiernan, M Horan for Dillon, G Brady for C Mortimer.

Referee: M Convery (Derry).