Meath 0-15 Cavan 0-13:A STRONG second-half showing enabled Meath to pick up their first brace of points on the pitch in the league when neighbours Cavan were edged out at the end of a tie played at Navan's Páirc Tailteann on Saturday night.
In the opening period Cavan appeared to be well on the way to ending their losing run, when continuing the promise shown against Dublin in the previous round, to take a 0-11 to 0-4 lead at the break.
Seanie Johnston was the Breffni county's main playmaker as that advantage was built up but then it took them 25 minutes to score after the switching of ends with two converted frees from the full forward being all they could add.
The breeze dictated the trend of play and with the sides also battling against the incessant rain, the majority of the scores came from frees.
While the winners' manager Colm Coyle was "very happy" with the comeback, the win would not have been achieved without a near flawless exhibition of kicking from Cian Ward. He finished up with nine points and his haul included scores off frees, a 45, sideline kick and one effort from play.
"I obviously was not happy at half-time but Cavan had kicked some amazing scores in the first period, unlike against Dublin when they missed some good chances. After being all at sea before the break, the lads worked really hard in the second half and they got the rewards," added Coyle.
A point from a sideline kick on the 45-metre line had Meath on level terms after 58 minutes and, although Cavan soon regained the lead, points from Ward and Alan Nestor had the home side a couple to the good before Graham Reilly completed their total when punching over the bar.
MEATH: B Murphy; N McKeigue, D Fay, C McGill; E Harrington, K Reilly, C King; N Crawford, M Ward; P Byrne (0-1), A Moyles, A Nestor (0-2); S Bray (0-1), G Geraghty (0-1), C Ward (0-9, six frees, one sideline, one 45). Sub: G Reilly (0-1) for Moyles (44 mins).
CAVAN: J Reilly; M Hannon, P Reilly, M Brides; K Fannin, A Forde, D Sheridan; D McCabe (0-2, one free), R Galligan; M Reilly (0-2), M Lyng, M McKeever; C Mackey, S Johnston (0-7, four frees), G Pearson (0-2). Subs: F O'Reilly for Galligan (33 mins), R Dunne for Hannon (47 mins), D Gaffney for Lyng (57 mins), B Watters for Fannin (61 mins).
Referee: J McKee (Armagh).
