Meath and Fermanagh played out an entertaining 0-12 to 1-09 draw in Páirc Tailteann as this year's Allianz Football Leagues got under way with this Division 2 clash.
The Ernesiders will feel like they should have won with the chances they had over the course of the contest, but a stubborn Meath side were determined not to let that happen in their own back yard.
An excellent display from Sean Cassidy, who posted a first-half tally of 1-01, saw the visitors lead by three at the break but an equally impressive performance from Meath’s Eoghan Frayne, with a total of five points from the Summerhill man, meant the sides could not be separated in the end.
A return of just one point from Colm O’Rourke’s starting full-forward line leaves the Royals with plenty to work on before next weekend’s tricky trip to Armagh, while Fermanagh host Kildare next weekend.
The game looked to be swinging the way of both sides at certain points throughout, but neither of them could maintain any real grasp on proceedings resulting in a tense conclusion as the game entered the final ten minutes.
Both teams had serious goal chances to steal the win as the clock ticked down. Ultan Kelm had a gilt-edged chance for Fermanagh with Matthew Costello having an equally good opportunity at the town end immediately afterwards.
Lee Cullen opened the scoring for the visitors, probing into a scoreable position before slotting a relaxed point over from distance unopposed.
Meath responded well with Daithi McGowan pointing twice in the following five minutes and it was was two points each after 15 minutes of play as Shane McGullion replied for Kieran Donnelly’s side.
There was a decent pace to the game in the opening half with both sides content to go direct once in possession. McGowan worked hard to find space for himself, swarming in around the Fermanagh defence, and he combined nicely with Aaron Lynch for his third score and second from play to edge Meath back in front after 22 minutes.
With space at an absolute premium at the heart of both full-back lines, things opened up beautifully for Jack O’Connor midway through the first half and he should have had the game’s first goal.
A teasing high ball from Sean Coffey in midfield couldn’t be taken under control by Aaron Lynch close to goal. O’Connor was quickest to react to the breaking ball, gratefully collecting it on the run before being denied by a brilliant last-ditch save by Sean McNally in the Fermanagh goal.
Kelm and Cassidy got themselves up and running with points before two fine scores from Frayne, as the first half drew to a close, put Meath ahead by the narrowest of margins.
With seconds remaining in the first half, Fermanagh had the ball in the back of the net with a brilliant passage of play giving the visitors a 1-05 to 0-05 lead at the break.
Meath had dealt very well with Fermanagh’s attack up to that minute but a brief lapse in concentration saw Cassidy and Conor McShea combine well before the former finished to the back of the net on the whistle.
Cassidy began the second half with a point for Fermanagh before Meath enjoyed a purple patch of their own as they looked to get back on level terms and take control.
Two scores from the impressive Frayne and a free from Costello had Meath back to within one.
With just over 20 minutes remaining, Meath were level with a huge score from Ronan Jones - the Dunboyne man delighting the home crowd in the stand with a monstrous score for the Royals.
With the momentum seemingly swinging the way of the home side as the second half progressed, Fermanagh’s response was strong - and it needed to be as it took them 15 minutes to register just their second score of the second half.
They soon reclaimed their three-point cushion though with points from play from Oisin Smyth, Garvan Jones and substitute Aidan Breen.
Both sides had huge goal chances as the game entered the home stretch. Kelm was denied with a fantastic full-stretch save from Sean Brennan in the Meath goal.
From the restart, Meath worked the ball up the pitch at lightning speed stretching Fermanagh completely with Costello and Shane Walsh in huge space deep inside the Fermanagh half.
Bad decision-making let the attacking pair down at the last second as Fermanagh got themselves back into position and the goal chance was gone.
Points late on from Walsh and Adam O’Neill brought O’Rourke’s side back to within one again as the game entered the final five minutes.
Right on 70 minutes, Frayne brought the sides back level with his fifth point of the day and with that the last score of the game.
Meath: S Brennan; D Keogan, A O’Neill (0-01), M Murphy; C Caufield, D Campion, S Coffey; R Jones (0-01), J Flynn; D McGowan (0-03, 0-01 45), E Frayne (0-05, 0-01f), C Hickey; A Lynch, M Costello (0-01, 0-01f), J O’Connor.
Subs: S Walsh (0-01) for Lynch (50), Ruairi Kinsella for Jack O’Connor 53, Diarmuid Moriarty for Cathal Hickey 63, James Conlon for Eoghan Frayne 67, Cian McBride for Jack Flynn 68
Fermanagh: S McNally; L Cullen (0-01), C Cullen, O Smyth (0-01); D McCusker, S McGullion (0-01), JL Elis; B O’ hOrain, J McDade; C McGee, R McCaffrey, C McShea; U Kelm (0-01), G Jones (0-02), S Cassidy (1-02).
Subs: A Breen (0-01) for McCusker (ht), T Bogue for McGee (63), D King for Cassidy (67), J Reihill for Jones (73).
Referee: J Henry (Mayo).
