NFL Division 2: Meath 3-24 Tyrone 2-22
Meath once again demonstrated the power of the two-pointer as they kicked eight on their way to a first win over Tyrone since 2007.
The Royals registered 3-21 from play – with their first score from a placed ball only arriving in the final two minutes of this Division 2 contest at Croke Park.
The promotion permutations in the division require a calculator and a spreadsheet, but for Meath the requirement is now simple – avoid defeat to Offaly next Sunday in Tullamore and they can plan for Division 1 football in 2027.
If ever there was validation needed for the new rules, the fact a National Football League game in March produced five goals and 46 points over 70 minutes demonstrates how Gaelic football has become a sport for forwards once again.
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And in that department, Meath are not exactly lacking scoring talent right now. Jordan Morris, their most prolific attacker, managed just a single point in this fixture and yet Meath posted a hurling tally. Different players are stepping up on different days. It can only be a good thing.
Jack O’Connor scored 1-8, Aaron Lynch 2-1, Eoghan Frayne 0-4 and Ruairí Kinsella 0-5.
Meath’s eight two-pointers were shared between four players – O’Connor kicked four in a blitzkrieg 14-minute spell during the first half, Kinsella hit two in as many minutes in the second half, Frayne chipped in with one and goalkeeper Seán Brennan floated over another with the last kick of the game.
“Meath have always had good forwards since Jesus was a child,” smiled Meath manager Robbie Brennan afterwards.
“It’s great to have that and we’ve just got to continue to make sure the lads are working hard and trying to hit the standards that they can, when they do they’re a very good forward line.
“I would think every one of our forwards are different to each other, very few of them are very similar in what they do and how they play the game so I think that gives the opposition different kind of headaches.
“So, I think it’s massive in a weird way with Jordy being held and we were still able to score and look strong up front.”
The Royals made hard work of this victory though, allowing a 12-point second-half cushion to be whittled down to just two points at one stage.
Meath led 2-12 to 1-11 at the interval. Lynch neatly netted the opening goal in the second minute after some wonderful creativity by Morris before O’Connor hit the second after weaving through the Tyrone defence.
Oisin O’Kane started between the posts for Tyrone and though Niall Morgan had been listed on the bench, their sub goalkeeper on the night was not the two-time All Star but instead Jack Gibney wore the number 16.
Ethan Jordan, Tyrone’s best player on the night, placed the ball brilliantly beyond Brennan in the Meath goal just before the quarter hour mark for their first major of the evening.
Jordan also had the unusual distinction of scoring four 45s in the opening 12 minutes and following his goal Tyrone led 1-5 to 1-0.
But O’Connor’s tour de force arrived thereafter, scoring 1-8 to help Meath lead by four at the interval.
And the Royals then appeared to make a decisive move in the third quarter, hitting 1-5 without reply to move 12 points clear in the 44th minute.
That should have been that, but Tyrone introduced Darragh Canavan during this spell and he helped lift his team-mates off the canvas. Canavan’s plan to spend a month in Australia were scuppered by the war in the Middle East, so after a brief holiday in the US he was a late addition to the Tyrone bench on Saturday evening.
Malachy O’Rourke’s side scored 1-7 on the bounce to cut the gap to just two points by the 56th minute – with Canavan swinging over a two-pointer during their wave of dominance.
Not for the first time this season, Meath found themselves taking on water in a game they should have tucked away in safe harbour long before the final whistle.
With the contest in the balance again, Seán Coffey got forward to extend Meath’s lead to three before a great interception by Morris led to Bryan Menton pushing the gap to four.
But Jordan responded with his second two-pointer to leave the gap at two once more with three minutes remaining.
Tyrone needed possession but instead conceded a free when Frank Burns fouled Keith Curtis. Morris pointed his first and only of the night, Meath’s first score from a placed ball.
After the resulting kickout, Tyrone – surging forward in search of an equalising goal – were caught for breaching the three-up rule, gifting Seán Brennan a two-pointer free with the last action of the night.
“The next training session, all eyes are focused on Tuesday’s training session, it’s all we’ve ever done and it’s all we’re ever going to do,” said Brennan when it was suggested promotion to Division 1 for the first time since 2000 was now within touching distance for the Royals.
This result leaves Meath sitting at the top of the table alongside Cork, both on ten points. Derry and Louth are just behind on eight.
Tyrone, on five points, are likely to finish the campaign middle of the pack. They will wonder what if any progress has been made so far this year.
But for Meath, the momentum of 2025 has not been lost. Avoid defeat against Offaly next Sunday and their upward trajectory will take them to the top flight.
MEATH: Seán Brennan (0-1-0, 1tpf); Seamus Lavin, Seán Rafferty, Brian O’Halloran; Donal Keogan, Seán Coffey (0-0-1), Ciarán Caulfield (0-0-1); Bryan Menton (0-0-1), Jack Flynn; Jack O’Connor (1-4-0), Ruairí Kinsella (0-2-1), Adam O’Neill; Jordan Morris (0-0-1f), Eoghan Frayne (0-1-2), Aaron Lynch (2-0-1). Subs: Charlie O’Connor for O’Neill (51 mins), Cathal Hickey for O’Connor, Keith Curtis for Lynch (both 54), James Conlon for Frayne (58) Jason Scully for Flynn (68).
TYRONE: Oisín O’Kane; Aidan Clarke, Peter Teague, Cormac Quinn; Joey Clarke (0-0-1), Niall Devlin (1-0-0), Michael Rafferty; Brian Kennedy, Conn Kilpatrick; Seanie O’Donnell (0-0-1), Ronan Cassidy (0-0-2), Ciarán Daly; Ruairí Canavan (0-0-2), Ethan Jordan (1-2-5, 4′45, 1f), Mattie Donnelly (0-0-1). Subs: Darren McCurry (0-0-4f) for Canavan (28 mins), Michael McKernan for Rafferty (32), Darragh Canavan (0-1-0) for Daly (43), Eoin McElholm for Cassidy (59), Frank Burns for Clarke (63).
Referee: Niall Cullen (Fermanagh).
