Meath 2-12 Fermanagh 0-14

The home side converted a penalty kick and the visitors failed to get anything from their spot kick as Meath clinched an immediate return to Division 2 at Páirc Tailteann.

Fermanagh needed just a draw to gain a second successive promotion but manager Peter Canavan was left to reflect on a couple of missed goal chances in the second halfm which the Ulster side played much of with 14 men.

Declan McCusker was shown a straight red card following a heavy challenge on Kevin Reilly 13 minutes after the restart.

Five minutes before that Paddy O’Rourke saved Tomás Corrigan’s penalty, having conceded the award with a foul on Paul Ward and then thwarted the full forward’s follow up attempt.

The first half provided some entertaining play despite the blustery conditions with both sides putting over well-taken points. Michael Newman made no mistake from his spot kick after 27 minutes, Peadar Byrne having been taken down.

That had enabled Meath to be on level terms (1-5 to 0-8) at the break.