Meath score paltry nine points in heavy loss to Kerry at Páirc Tailteann

A mobile sports recovery unit, emblazoned with Recovery Zone in large white lettering parked at the rear of the stand in Páirc Tailteann, wasn’t there for the benefit of Meath supporters but maybe it should have been after the Royals went down to another heavy defeat in Group 4 of the All-Ireland SFC last Sunday.

On the recent run of form, even the most optimistic among the home support didn’t expect anything else and as in the heavy defeat to Louth, it was difficult to come away with many positives from this latest outing.

The hosts couldn’t be faulted for effort but that was never going to be near good enough against a Kerry side far short of their best but still comfortable from start to finish. The Kingdom gradually opened up a lead and that increased the longer the opening half progressed and there was inevitability about it all after the visitors developed a 0-10 to 0-3 advantage when playing into the breeze.

Meath, who made four changes from the team announced earlier in the week, gave first championship starts to Dunboyne duo Michael Murphy and Seán Ryan, and Brian O’Halloran and adopted an ultra-defensive approach throughout the opening period. They managed to stymie the Kerry attack to just three points in that first 35 minutes but wing-back Brían Ó Beaglaíoch accounted for three points while corner-back Tom O’Sullivan hit two and both midfielders, Diarmuid and Joe O’Connor, were also on the mark.

Familiar failings again haunted the Meath attack as they just managed a paltry nine points. Eight opening half wides didn’t help their cause but an attack that had as many defenders as forwards probably ensured that the Meath tally would be a low one.

Both midfielders, captain Ronan Jones and Cian McBride, James Conlon and Harry O’Higgins had to be content with places on the bench as Conor Gray and Cathal Hickey formed a new partnership in the middle of the field.

Donal Keogan picked up danger man David Clifford and did a commendable job throughout that first half but with all great players, the Fossa clubman only needed a half chance to make an impression and his opening goal after 49 minutes left his side leading by 1-10 to 0-5 and after that the only issue in doubt was the margin of Kerry’s victory.

Clifford added another goal and two points to his tally before the end to finish as his side’s top-scorer.

Eoghan Frayne scored all three Meath’s points in the half with his opener on six minutes leaving his side level for the only time in the match.

Diarmuid O’Connor had earlier opened Kerry’s account and his midfield partner, Joe, added a second point before O’Sullivan and Ó Beaglaíoch eased their side into a 0-4 to 0-1 lead by the 16th minute.

Tony Brosnan and Seán O’Shea replied to two further points from Frayne and Kerry hit four points in the final eight minutes of the half as the Meath wide tally increased, while two other efforts for scores fell short of the target.

Successive points by Seán Coffey and Mathew Costello left it 0-10 to 0-5 on 42 minutes but Kerry showed their clinical streak as Clifford got on the end of a fine move involving Gavin White and O’Sullivan to blast to the roof of the Meath net.

Paul Geaney and O’Shea (45) tagged on points to leave it 1-12 to 0-5 by the midpoint of the second half.

Substitute Jack O’Connor hit a fine score, Frayne added his fourth point and Ciarán Caulfield was also on target as Meath hit three successive scores to narrow the gap. They only managed another score, however, from a Costello free which left it 1-14 to 0-9 by the 65th minute.

Just to emphasise their superiority, Kerry finished with an unanswered 1-4 with Clifford pouncing for his second goal on the 70-minute mark, an effort that ’keeper Billy Hogan got a block on but the ball eventually trickled over the line.

Clifford also struck two points in those closing minutes, while Killian Spillane (mark) and Paudie Clifford also accounted for scores.

Overall, it was poor fare for the 8,224 attendance with Kerry winning as they pleased and Meath producing another display that heaps pressure on Colm O’Rourke and his management team heading into the crucial, must-win group match against Monaghan.

MEATH: Billy Hogan; Donal Keogan, Adam O’Neill, Ronan Ryan; Ciarán Caulfield 0-1, Brian O’Halloran, Seán Coffey 0-1; Conor Gray, Cathal Hickey; Michael Murphy, Darragh Campion, Seán Ryan; Cillian O’Sullivan, Mathew Costello 0-2 (1f), Eoghan Frayne 0-4 (2f). Subs: Ronan Jones for Gray (HT), Jordan Morris for Murphy (HT), Jack O’Connor 0-1 for O’Sullivan (47), Cian McBride for Coffey (54), Ross Ryan for Campion (58).

KERRY: Shane Ryan; Dylan Casey, Jason Foley, Tom O’Sullivan 0-2; Brían Ó Beaglaíoch 0-3, Mike Breen, Gavin White; Diarmuid O’Connor 0-1, Joe O’Connor 0-1; Tony Brosnan 0-2, Paudie Clifford 0-1, Cillian Burke; David Clifford 2-2 (0-1f), Seán O’Shea 0-3 (1 45, 1m), Paul Geaney 0-1. Subs: Dara Moynihan 0-1 for Burke (50), Killian Spillane 0-1 (1m) for Geaney (55), Dylan Geaney for Brosnan (55), Adrian Spillane for D O’Connor (61), Seán O’Brien for Breen (61).

REFEREE: Liam Devenney (Mayo).

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