Sport

Meath always in complete control

ALL-IRELAND SFC QUALIFIER ROUND THREE Meath 2-12 Roscommon 0-11 : MEATH EARNED the opportunity to gain revenge for last year…

Mon Jul 27 2009 - 01:00

ALL-IRELAND SFC QUALIFIER ROUND THREE Meath 2-12 Roscommon 0-11: MEATH EARNED the opportunity to gain revenge for last year's reversal at the hands of Limerick when gaining the expected win over Roscommon at Navan's Páirc Tailteann on Saturday evening.

The home team wasted little time in taking the lead with Cian Ward firing a 45-metre free high between the uprights and they led by 0-4 to 0-1 inside the opening 10 minutes.

Roscommon were only on equal terms in the early stages when Senan Kilbride got them on the scoresheet.

They were well in touch when Byrne fired in the first goal following an assist by Stephen Bray on 24 minutes to leave the scores 1-5 to 0-3. The five-point advantage was maintained to the break when the scores were 1-9 to 9-6.

READ MORE

Meath boss Eamonn O’Brien has happy about “the good spread of scorers” and both midfielders shot points, Meade with his side’s last before half-time and Crawford with the first after the restart.

After Crawford increased the advantage to six points, Roscommon put out three of the next four scores with their main marksman Donie Shine getting on target from play and a free.

Ward’s fourth point was followed by a spectacular goal by David Bray, who fired to the roof of the net following a tap-down from Joe Sheridan after 57 minutes to cap an impressive contribution.

That clinched the win for Meath although Roscommon battled to the end have recovered admirably from the Connacht hiding at the hands of Mayo.

MEATH: P O'Rourke; C O'Connor, A Moyles, E Harrington; S Kenny, C McGuinness, C King; N Crawford (0-1), B Meade (0-1); S Bray, J Sheridan, P Byrne (1-1); D Bray (1-2), C Ward (0-4, four frees), B Farrell (0-3). Subs: J Queeney for Farrell (64 mins), M Ward for Crawford, B Regan for McGuinness S McKeigue for Byrne (all 68 mins).

ROSCOMMON: G Claffey; R Brady, K Higgins, S McDermott; S Purcell, P Domican, J McKeague; M Finneran (0-1), B Higgins; G Cox, D O'Gara (0-1), D Shine (0-6, three frees, one 45); F Cregg, S Kilbride (0-3, one free), C Cregg. Subs: C Garvey for McKeague (half-time), C Devaney for K Higgins (42 mins), E Kenny for Cregg (58 mins), D Flynn for Purcell (60 mins), C McHugh for Cox (69 mins).

Referee: J McKee(Armagh).