Roscommon 1-15 Meath 1-11
A second quarter surge of scoring, led by returning marksman Conor Cox, elevated Roscommon to back to back wins, keeping promotion from Division Two well within their sights.
Kerry man Cox, who missed their impressive first round win over Cork with a hamstring injury, struck 0-7 in total and was at the hub of a scoring blitzkrieg in the run up to half-time.
Roscommon scored seven points without reply in this period, opening up a 1-12 to 1-3 half-time lead and providing the visitors with a cushion they would rely upon when Meath fought back in the final 20 minutes or so.
That revival took Meath to within three points of Roscommon in second-half stoppage time though they would lose both manager Andy McEntee and his nephew James McEntee to straight red cards.
Substitute James was shown red by Jerome Henry following an incident that left Ultan Harney on the ground clutching his neck early in stoppage time.
It prompted a minor melee and when calm was eventually restored, Henry brandished a red card to manager Andy McEntee who acknowledged afterwards he’d been “a bit frustrated” with seeing “fellas trying to get other people sent off”.
Meath struck seven points on the trot between the 47th and 77th minutes and reduced what was a 10-point deficit at one stage to just three but Cox’s last point from a free at the death proved the insurance score.
Aside from Cox, the Smith brothers, Donie and Enda were influential again, while manager Anthony Cunningham hailed their dynamic midfield of Harney and Eddie Nolan. Attacker Cathal Heneghan finished with 1-1 and his 15th minute goal wiped out Meath’s earlier major from Mathew Costello.
“It was a really solid performance for three quarters of the match, we probably just lost our way in the last quarter which we’ll have to look at,” said Roscommon manager Cunningham, who confirmed that Ciarain and Diarmuid Murtagh from St Faithleachs and David Murray from Padraig Pearses, along with the Daly brothers, will all return to training this week.
Roscommon will host Clare next on February 20 while Meath, beaten by Galway in Round 1, will be at home to Down on the same afternoon.
“Nobody likes losing so of course they’re low in the dressingroom but we have another five games to go,” said Meath manager McEntee.
Roscommon: C Lavin; F Lennon, B Stack, E McCormack; R Hughes, C Hussey, D Ruane; U Harney (0-1), E Nolan (0-1); N Kilroy, E Smith (0-2), C Heneghan (1-1); C Cox (0-7, 0-5 frees, 0-1 mark), D Smith (0-2), C McKeon (0-1, mark). Subs: C Lawless for Heneghan (46-49 mins, blood), Lawless for Heneghan (57 mins), N Higgins for Lennon (57 mins), C Sugrue for Ruane (59 mins), S Cunnane for Kilroy (63 mins), B O'Carroll for McKeon (66 mins).
Meath: H Hogan (0-2, 0-2 frees); R Clarke, R Ryan, E Harkin (0-1); J Scully, D Keogan, G McGowan; P Harnan, E Devine; S McEntee, T O'Reilly (0-1, free), M Costello (1-0); S O Fionnagain, J Morris (0-5, 0-3 frees), J Wallace. Subs: E Wallace (0-2) for O Fionnagain (29 mins), N Kane for Scully (49 mins), J Conlon for J Wallace (52 mins), J McEntee for McGowan (59 mins), C O'Sullivan for Devine (61 mins).
Referee: J Henry (Mayo).
