Meath 2-17 Wicklow 2-8: While remaining unbeaten in the league, Meath were far from impressive when disposing of Wicklow in Navan and the winning margin flattered them.
As in the 2004 championship clash, Meath only pulled clear after the other side were reduced to 14 men midway through the second half. When Ciarán Hyland became Wicklow's third yellow card recipient they had used up all their allowed substitutions.
Trailing by 1-3 to 1-7 at the break, Wicklow bravely got the deficit down to the minimum when midfielder David Dillon grabbed his second goal.
But, boosted by the scoring input of three substitutes, Meath finished strongly - Daithí Regan posting three points, Charles McCarthy getting one and Conor Brennan booting in a late goal.
MEATH: D Gallagher; N McLoughlin, A Moyles, S Mac Gabhann; T O'Connor, D Crimmins, C King (0-1); N Kelly, N Crawford (0-2); M Burke, G Geraghty (0-1), P Byrne (1-1); B Farrell (0-2), J Sheridan (0-3 f), T Giles (0-3). Subs: S Kenny for O'Connor (ht), D Regan (0-3) for Farrell (47 mins), C McCarthy (0-1) for Bourke (57 mins), C Brennan (1-0) for Kelly (65 mins). Yellow card: Mac Gabhann (55 mins) replaced by B O'Reilly.
WICKLOW: R Hollingsworth; C Hyland, B Daly, N Murphy; C Davis, T Burke (0-1), K Manning; J Stafford, D Dillon (2-0); L Glynn (0-1), T Henry (0-1), J P Davis; W O'Gorman, W Callaghan (0-2), D Cullen. Subs: D O'Sullivan (0-1) for O'Gorman (7 mins), A Ellis (0-2) for Cullen (26 mins), D Smullen for J P Davis (ht), D Ó hAnnaidh for C Davis (ht). Yellow cards: Callaghan (42 mins) replaced by G Dolan, Manning (46 mins) replaced by B Ó hAnnaidh, C Hyland (53 mins).
Referee: C Reynolds (Down).
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