Report: Derry exit championship at the hands of Meath

All-Ireland SFC

Meath 1-24 Derry 1-20

By Michael McMullan

THE curtain came down on Derry’s season with defeat at the hands of Meath on Saturday night at Find Insurance Celtic Park.

The sides were level at half-time but Meath pulled clear with James Conlon hitting 0-7 over the game.

Donal Keogan bagged a first ever championship goal on a night James Sargent did likewise on his first ever start.

The former All-Ireland minor winning captain missed most of the season with an ACL injury and has yet to feature for his club Lavey.

“It’s disappointing,” said Derry manager Ciarán Meenagh.  “We didn’t deserve to win so we can have no complaints. We put a huge amount of effort into trying to get a lift for our performance.

“It was very difficult after the Monaghan game. We did that for the Armagh game, we did the same tonight but ultimately we weren’t good enough so that’s the season to close now.”

Keogan stepped around Shea McGuckin to slot home and Meath were ahead in the fifth minute.

The frantic start continued when Sean Brennan tipped a shot around the post after Ronan Ryan made a block on Sargent.

There was drama at the other end with ‘keeper McGuckin making a fine save.

The Lavey man stroked over the 45 with Shane McGuigan tagging on a score.

Two pointers from Bryan Menton and Jack Flynn had Meath in the decent place but they came either side of Sargent’s goal. He flicked home after Hurson allowed an advantage.

Derry had another goal chance when Conor McCluskey was denied by Brennan but Murray fisted over.

McGuigan nosed Derry ahead before Meath came with another burst. Points from Conlon helped Meath into a three-point lead.

McEvoy, Forbes and Sargent hit late scores to level the game at the break, despite Meath dominating the middle sector.

Message

“We said that at half-time,” Meenagh pointed out. “If we had any return in the ball at all from both sets of kick-outs, we were scoring fairly easily.

“We said that at half-time but it didn’t change. They still dominated primary possession.

“When you have taken over half of the opposition’s possession and you’re winning over 80% of your own, that leaves you in a difficult position to win the game.

There was a skirmish at half-time, with referee Hurson showing black cards to Cian McBride, Ronan Ryan, Gareth McKinless and Conor Doherty.

Meath substitute James McEntee saw yellow with Meath management team member John McCarthy shown a red card.

In a separate incident before half-time, Derry lost skipper Conor Glass to concussion.

Jack Flynn and Eoin McEvoy traded early scores as the game kicked back into action.

Meath pushed three up but a Rogers two-pointer helped Derry back level.

Morris and McGuigan kicked scores to level the game, 1-14 each, as the four men came back on again.

A second Morris point, a Jack O’Connor effort and one from Keoghan put Meath three up again by the 49^th minute.

A sixth Conlon score shot Meath six up with Murray hitting a two-pointer to give Derry a chance to peg a comeback.

A two-point free from McGugan then made it a three-point game with four minutes to go but Killian Smith tagged on an insurance point.

Derry: S McGuckin; P McGrogan, B Rogers (0-2tp), C McCluskey; C Doherty, G McKinless (0-1), E McEvoy (0-3); C Glass, D Higgins; E Doherty, J Sargent (1-2, 1 45), R Forbes (0-2); P Cassidy, S McGuigan (0-5, 1tpf), L Murray (0-4, 1tp)
Subs: N Loughlin for Glass (HT), D Baker for Cassidy (HT), N O’Donnell for Higgins (57), S Young for Forbes (58), C Higgins (0-1) for Baker (62)

Meath: S Brennan (0-2tpf); S Lavin; S Rafferty, R Ryan; D Keoghan (1-2), B Menton (0-3, 1tp), S Coffey; C McBride, J O’Connor (0-1); J Flynn (0-3, 1tp), M Costello (0-2), C Caulfield; J Morris (0-2), J Conlon (0-7), E Frayne (0-1f)
Subs: K Smyth (0-1) for Ryan (47), C O’Connor for Menton (57), C Hickey for J O’Connor (62), K Curtis for Conlon (67)

Referee: S Hurson (Tyrone)