Monaghan produce the goods when it matters to overcome battling Meath

Malachy O’Rourke and Mick O’Dowd both declared themselves satisfied with a job well done after an Allianz League Division Three campaign which ended with Monaghan holding the trophy aloft in Croke Park.

It was a proud moment for Ard Stuirthóir Paraic Duffy, who handed the Division Three cup over to fellow Monaghan man Owen Lennon on Saturday night in front of an attendance of 7,742.

In a refreshingly open game, littered with wides and quality scores in equal measure, both sides enjoyed spells of domination.

The definitive damage was done in a period midway through the second half when Meath flatlined after taking the lead for the only time in the game through a Mickey Newman free in the 41st minute.

They failed to score for the next 21 minutes while Monaghan scored five unanswered points to assume control once more.

"It was great the way we responded to going behind for the first time," said Monaghan manager Malachy O'Rourke.

Attacking play
"It's hard when you're stuck in the middle of it to appreciate some of the scores but we would have been happy with a lot of our attacking play.

“We finished strong which is very pleasing.”

Mick O’Dowd insisted he had no regrets about allowing his players to return to their clubs for two weeks after Meath secured promotion against Fermanagh.

Most intercounty managers would have insisted on keeping the squad together in the build-up to a final in Croke Park, but O’Dowd admirably put the interests of the clubs first.

“It was the right thing to do to get the club championship up and running in the county so I have no regrets on that,” he said. “We only worked with the players for two nights this week and that probably showed a little bit in the early stages of the game.

“But in our heads, it was already mission accomplished in terms of promotion.”

Meath lost Paddy Gilsenan and goalscorer Davy Dalton to injury during the game while Joe Sheridan was not considered after seeing club action as late as Thursday night.

Monaghan raced into a 1-5 to 0-1 lead after 11 minutes.

Conor McManus, Christopher McGuinness, Kieran Hughes and Eoin Duffy hit the first four points of the game inside seven minutes before Gilsenan's point put Meath on the board.

Seven points
In a blistering start by Monaghan, Eoin Duffy's strike across goal beat Paddy O'Rourke in the 11th minute to put them seven points ahead.

Meath responded. Eamonn Wallace and Mickey Newman combined for the latter to score a goal less than a minute later.

In an open, high-tempo game, two superb points followed in less than a minute from Conor McManus, who tormented Kevin Reilly throughout.

Meath were more clinical with less possession and scored four of the next six points before half-time as Monaghan led by 1-9 to 1-5 at the interval.

There was a feeling that Monaghan should have been ahead by more, but good build-up play was undone by poor shooting selection on occasion.

Mick O’Dowd’s team made Monaghan pay for their wastefulness, scoring 1-1 within 90 seconds of the restart.

Dalton’s lung-bursting run and fine goal drew Meath level and Newman put them ahead in the 41st minute for the first time in the match.

But their response to taking the lead was poor. They hit four wides in a row and 14 in total during the game.

Dessie Mone made a big impact from the bench while Darren Hughes switched to midfield as Monaghan hit five points in a row from Paul Finlay (two), Eoin Duffy (two) and Owen Lennon.

Newman's 66th minute goal breathed new life into Meath's challenge but Kieran Hughes's goal two minutes from the end deservedly clinched the title for Monaghan.
MONAGHAN: R Beggan; K Duffy, D Wylie, F Kelly; D Hughes (0-1) , N McAdam, C Walshe; O Lennon (0-3) , D Clerkin; P Finlay (0-3, 2f) , K Hughes (1-1) , E Duffy (1-3) ; C McGuinness (0-1) , C McManus (0-4, 1f) , D Malone. Subs: S Gallogly for Malone (30), D Mone for Clerkin (42), P Donaghy for McGuinness (52), V Corey for Wylie (55).
MEATH: P O'Rourke; E Harrington, B Menton (0-1) , C Young; C Lenehan (0-2) , K Reilly, D Dalton (1-0) ; B Meade, C Gillespie; P Gilsenan (0-1) , G Reilly, P Byrne; E Wallace (0-1) , S Bray (0-1) , M Newman (2-2, 1f) . Subs: D Larkin for Gilsenan (28), A Tormey for G Reilly (54), S Kenny for Byrne (54), B Dillon for Dalton (56), B Farrell for Bray (67).
Referee: Padraig O'Sullivan (Kerry).