McAnarney scores winning goal for Meath
Meath 1-15 Monaghan 1-9
Centre-back Shane McAnarney raided forward to score the clinching goal in Meath’s opening Division 2 victory over Monaghan in Navan.
Top scorer Stephen Bray (0-6) and Cian Ward set up the chance for McAnarney who slotted home to punish a wasteful Monaghan side.
With James Turley netting after 22 minutes in Navan, Monaghan were only 0-10 to 1-6 behind at the break.
But Meath were much more clinical and won out despite having Paddy Gilsenan sent-off for a second bookable offence.
Meath manager Seamus McEnaney was facing his native county at Pairc Tailteann and his charges were determined to win the first of four home games in the league campaign.
The Royals shaded the opening half, looking a little sharper than the visitors with Bray (0-4) and Graham Reilly (0-3) profiting from some accurate deliveries into the forward lines.
However, Monaghan were able to keep pace thanks to Turley’s deflected goal and some good shot-taking from Eoin Duffy and captain Darren Hughes.
The Farney men hit the front when Hughes burst forward and provided the assist for Neil McAdam’s opener. Bray quickly levelled and then fired over again from the 30-yard range.
McEnaney’s men were guilty of overusing the short hand-passing option at time, and Dessie Mone worked the ball into space for Vinny Corey to draw Monaghan level at 0-2 apiece.
Paul Finlay missed two frees for the Ulster outfit, the first in very kickable range, and scores from Reilly and Brian Meade sandwiched Duffy’s first of the night.
Monaghan goalkeeper Mark Keogh did well to save a shot from Donncha Tobin, who had been put through by Cian Ward, and Meath were left stunned when Turley managed to find the net.
Keogh’s opposite number David Gallagher was given little chance when a driven low shot from Turley, who burst clean through, took a deflection and moved Monaghan 1-3 to 0-4 ahead.
But, as often happens, the concession of the goal seemed to inspire the Royals and they scored five of the next six points with Reilly (0-2), Bray (0-2) and Ward all on target.
Donal Morgan offered Monaghan’s only response as they were punished for coughing up possession far too easily.
They regained their poise just before the interval though, with Finlay picking out Duffy for his second point and skipper Hughes landing a terrific free from 50 metres out.
Paddy Gilsenan’s late score for Meath, created by Bray, was enough saw them maintain their lead heading into the second period at the start of which Joe Sheridan was introduced for his first appearance of 2012.
Although defences were on top when play resumed, points from Bray (free) and the in-form Gilsenan put three between the sides at 0-12 to 1-6.
Monaghan were beginning to struggle in attack and after wides from Finlay and Corey, Sheridan extended the margin to four points with 20 minutes remaining.
Finlay duly popped over his first point, from a free, but Monaghan had nothing to show for their sudden dominance of possession, with substitute Ciaran Hanratty hitting their sixth and seventh wides of the second half.
Poor shots followed from Kieran Hughes, who was switched out to centre-field, and Morgan as Monaghan continued to beat a path towards the Meath goal.
It took Darren Hughes to end the visitors’ barren spell, striding up from defence again, but a possession-starved Ward responded almost straight away.
The tension for the home crowd was obvious when Finlay reduced the arrears to two points with seven minutes left, yet that concern quickly evaporated.
Bray and Ward combined to set up McAnarney’s well-taken goal, shunting Meath 1-14 to 1-9 ahead before Gilsenan received his marching orders for a professional foul.
Player-selector Graham Geraghty warmed up on the sidelines but his services were not required, and Sheridan set up Bray for the final point.
It was a good result for Meath, but improvements will have to be made if they are to push for promotion. Monaghan could and perhaps should have run them much closer.
Scorers: Meath: Stephen 0-6 (0-2f), Graham Reilly 0-3, Shane McAnarney 1-0, Cian Ward, Paddy Gilsenan 0-2 each, Brian Meade, Joe Sheridan 0-1 each
Monaghan: James Turley 1-0, Darren Hughes (0-1f), Paul Finlay (0-1f), Eoin Duffy 0-2 each, Neil McAdam, Vinny Corey, Donal Morgan 0-1 each
MEATH: David Gallagher; Mickey Burke, Bryan Menton, Gary O’Brien; Chris O’Connor, Shane McAnarney, Cormac McGuinness; Brian Meade, Mark Ward; Seamus Kenny, Graham Reilly, Donncha Tobin; Paddy Gilsenan, Stephen Bray, Cian Ward.
Subs used: Joe Sheridan for Tobin, Ciaran Lenihan for Kenny, Tom Walsh for M Ward, Conor Gillespie for Meade.
MONAGHAN: Mark Keogh; Donal Morgan, Darren Hughes, Colin Walshe; Dessie Mone, Vincent Corey, David Hughes; Eoin Lennon, James Turley; Neil McAdam, Eoin Duffy, Mark Downey; Paul Finlay, Kieran Hughes, Christopher McGuinness.
Subs used: Ronan McNally for Walshe, Dermot Malone for Downey, Stephen Gollogly for D Hughes, Ciaran Hanratty for McGuinness, Dick Clerkin for McAdam.
Referee: Padraig Hughes (Armagh)
