Meath 3-14
Cork 0-19
THE COLM O’ROURKE era begins with a bang then.
Meath trekked to Leeside and departed with the prize of a pair of league points in this Division 2 encounter. A power-packed closing quarter proved the difference, their running game punching holes in a porous Cork rearguard.
From the 51st minute Meath outscored Cork 2-6 to 0-5, the home side desperately reliant on Steven Sherlock’s point-taking as he contributed 14 of their scores.
Shane Walsh was terrific for Meath as he posted 1-7, while Jordan Morris and Cillian O’Sullivan also raised green flags. The timing of the strikes from Morris and O’Sullivan were crucial. Cork coughed up the ball cheaply coming out of defence in the 52nd minute and Meath punished them. Jason Scully countered and floated a pass across for Morris to palm to the net.
That was the launchpad for Meath to put the game to bed. They knocked over a sequence of points, Morris more influential in the second half, and Cillian O’Sullivan knifed through a gap in the defence ten minutes from time before showing the poise to plant his shot in the top corner.
Cork were chasing the game from there. They desperately needed a goal to ignite something and immediately after Morris had struck, two opportunities did present themselves. Colm O’Callaghan drilled in a left-foot shot that goalkeeper Harry Hogan blocked and Sean Powter fisted in the rebound that the covering Meath defence were able to scramble clear.
It was a fine transformation in Meath’s fortunes, Walsh’s goal proving their only score in the opening quarter of this game. Late January sees Cork already looking nervously over their shoulder, amassing 19 points was insufficient to guard against defensive troubles.
The first-half attacking narrative boiled down to the Sherlock point-scoring output for Cork against the twin threat of Matthew Costello and Walsh for Meath.
Sherlock posted eight points on the board in the opening half for Cork, six from placed balls and a couple of sweetly-struck efforts from play. In response there was a combined 1-5 from Costello and Walsh.
The goal arrived in the 7th minute, the only score Meath registered to sustain them early on. Walsh cut in from the left wing past the cover and finished tidily to the net. There were signs the Cork rearguard was creaking when Meath ran at them.
It took a fantastic double save by Michéal Aodh Martin on the half hour mark to save Cork, he blocked the first shot from Darragh Campion and miraculously recovered to scoop a Jordan Morris follow-up off the line.
Cork were 0-11 to 1-6 to the good at the interval before Meath popped over two early points in the second half to draw level. The home team responded with a trio of neat scores courtesy of Chris Óg Jones, Sherlock and Powter.
Three points up and in the ascendancy, they lost their way and Meath made them pay. A strong finish sets Meath up nicely for a home tie with Clare. For Cork a daunting trip to Newbridge to take on Kildare now awaits.
Scorers for Meath: Shane Walsh 1-7 (0-2f, 0-2 mark), Jordan Morris 1-2, Cillian O’Sullivan 1-1, Matthew Costello 0-2 (0-1f), Cathal Hickey 0-1, Jack O’Connor 0-1.
Scorers for Cork: Steven Sherlock 0-14 (0-10f, 0-1 ’45), Chris Óg Jones 0-2, Sean Powter 0-1, Maurice Shanley 0-1, Mattie Taylor 0-1.
Meath
1. Harry Hogan (Longwood)
17. James O’Hare (Rathkenny), 3. Michael Flood (St. Brigid’s), 4. Cathal Hickey (Seneschalstown)
5. Eoin Harkin (Dunsany), 6. Donal Keogan (Rathkenny), 7. Daniel O’Neill (Wolfe Tones)
8. Ronan Jones (St. Peter’s Dunbyone), 9. Daithí McGowan (Ratoath)
10. Cillian O’Sullivan (Moynalvey), 11. Jason Scully (Oldcastle), 12. Darragh Campion (Skryne)
13. Jordan Morris (Kingscourt Stars, Cavan), 14. Mathew Costello (Dunshaughlin), 15. Shane Walsh (Na Fianna)
Subs
- 2. Adam O’Neill (Wolfe Tones) for Daniel O’Neill (half-time)
- 23. Jack O’Connor (Curraha) for Harkin (49)
- 18. Harry O’Higgins (Drumbaragh) for O’Hare (49)
- 24. Diarmuid Moriarty (Curraha) for McGowan (53)
- 19. Shane Crosby (Duleek-Bellewstown) for O’Sullivan (66)
Cork
1. Mícheál Aodh Martin (Nemo Rangers)
4. Kevin O’Donovan (Nemo Rangers), 3. Daniel O’Mahony (Knocknagree), 2. Maurice Shanley (Clonakilty)
6. Rory Maguire (Castlehaven), 5. Sean Meehan (Kiskeam), 7. Mattie Taylor (Mallow)
8. Colm O’Callaghan (Éire Óg), 9. Ian Maguire (St Finbarr’s)
10. Eoghan McSweeney (Knocknagree), 11. Seán Powter (Douglas), 12. Brian O’Driscoll (Tadhg Mac Cárthaigh)
13. Chris Óg Jones (Iveleary), 14. Brian Hurley (Castlehaven – captain), 15. Steven Sherlock (St Finbarr’s)
Subs
- 17. Tommy Walsh (Kanturk) for O’Donovan (44)
- 22. John O’Rourke (Carbery Rangers) for McSweeney (53)
- 18. Luke Fahy (Ballincollig) for Rory Maguire (54)
- 25. Cathail O’Mahony (Mitchelstown) for Hurley (60)
- 23. Ruairi Deane (Bantry Blues) for Powter (66)
Referee: Brendan Cawley (Kildare)
Get instant updates on the Allianz Football and Hurling Leagues on The42 app. Brought to you by Allianz Insurance, proud sponsors of the Allianz Leagues for over 30 years.