Allianz Hurling League Division 2A: Down 3-19 Meath 1-16
Down will now meet Laois in next week’s NHL2A semi-final after ensuring they were able to better Kildare’s win over Carlow on Friday night.
Nothing less than a six-point win would’ve ensured an opportunity to return to Division One hurling next season with Carlow waiting in the Division 2A final having already ensured their spot before this weekend’s match.
Downs manager Ronan Sheehan said of the victory: “I’m delighted with the performance today, the lads performed excellently and responded very well to the two blows, of the early goal and then of course the red card at the start of the second half”.
Leading by two points at the break, having played into a strong breeze at a wet and windy McKenna Park, Down looked to be in the driving seat, but within two minutes of the restart, Eoghan Sands got his marching orders for what looked an innocuous challenge on Meath’s Padraig O’Hanrahan.
Unfazed by this set back, a talented and physically stronger home side blew Meath away as Daithí Sands completed a hat-trick.
An impressive defence and midfield unit held Meath to just five second half points from open play.
Sheehan added: “Matt Conlan, Tim Prenter, Daithí along with Ruairí [McCrickard] were all outstanding and we are delighted to be unbeaten at home in the league with a semi-final against Laois to come.”
Meath opened the scoring with a James Toher point in the opening 15 seconds and by the fifth minute had taken a 1-4 to 0-1 lead, with Jack Walsh latching onto a Dómhnall Rogers pass to smash high to the roof of the net.
Pearse Óg McCrickard had knocked over three dead balls before man of the match Prenter got the home side’s first from open play in the twelfth minute.
When Danny Toner fed Daithí Sands for the first of his three goals, it was like a shot in the arm to the hosts, as three quickfire points followed from McCrickard, Paul Sheehan and Sands to restored parity midway through the half.
Sands’s second came via route one - a Stephen Keith puckout, brilliantly fielded by Laim Savage, who in turn picked out Sands outside the 21m line. he sprinted past a helpless Ronan Byrne and beat the on rushing Ennis for a second time.
The second half saw Down assert their superiority and despite the early red card, Down raised a third red flag shortly after and outscored the Royals nine points to two for the remaining 20 minutes, as Matt Conlan, Danny Toner and Tom McGrattan all chipped in towards an impressive win under difficult conditions.
Sheehan although pleased to have seen the return of McGrattan and Finn Turpin, was left somewhat frustrated win the sending off.
“It’s an incredibly difficult job for refs, but the lack of consistency is incredibly frustrating,” he said
“A very similar tackle only got a yellow in the first half for Meath and then last week Ruairi took three similar tackles with only a yellow, but we’ll continue to build and will keep focused for the next game”.
Down: S Keith; M Conlan (0-1), C McAllister, C Cassidy; M Fisher, C Taggart, R McCrickard; L Savage, T Prenter (0-3); E Sands (0-1), P Óg McCrickard (0-8, 0-6 frees) , P Sheehan (0-1); D Toner (0-1), C Egan, D Sands (3-3)
Sub: F Turpin for Egan (53), P Savage for Sheehan (57), T McGrattan for Toner (57), J Murphy for Prenter (71)
Meath: C Ennis; S Geraghty, S Whitty, R Byrne; M Burke, S Ennis, J Ennis; K Gorman, N Potterton (0-1); J Walsh (1-0), J Toher (0-6, 0-1 free), W Gleeson (0-2); D Rogers (0-1), J Kelly, P O’Hanrahan (0-4, 0-3 frees)
Sub: T Shine (0-1) for Burke (33), M Horan (0-1) for Kelly (43), E Donegan for O’Hanrahan (59), D Murtagh for J Ennis (66)