Derry 1-14 Meath 1-11
Meath manager Mick O'Dowd stepped down after seeing Derry fight back to get the better of the Royals by 1-14 to 1-11 in a thrilling All-Ireland Round 2A football qualifier tie at Owenbeg.
Mickey Newman’s 26th minute goal and two points each from Graham Reilly and Cillian O’Sullivan sent the Royals in with a 1-8 to 0-4 interval lead.
Mark Lynch led the Oak Leaf fightback with some terrific points, and it was substitute Niall Loughlin who grabbed the all-important goal in the 68th minute.
Meath, with the wind in their backs, got off to a flyer, opening up a six points lead inside the opening six minutes.
Graham Reilly knocked over a couple of points, one of them the result of hesitancy by Oak midfielder Conor McAtamney, who was caught in possession and coughed up possession much too easily.
Padraig Harnan and Mickey Newman, from a 48 metre free, also hit the target, and Derry’s massed defence appeared powerless to stop the support runners from deep.
It wasn’t until the 16th minute that Eoghan Brown sent Mark Lynch for Derry’s opening score.
Moments later, Meath could have had a goal, but Donal Lenihan sent his shot zipping just wide at the far post after collecting Cillian O’Sullivan’s diagonal ball.
The Leinster men did hit the net in the 26tminute, Reilly once again breaking the line to set up Donnacha Tobin for a shot, which was finished at the far post by Newman.
He could have had another, but for a superb block by Gareth McKinless, and Meath were coasting at the break, ahead by 1-8 to 0-4.
But a lightning start to the second half saw them reel off points through the excellent Lynch, Christopher Bradley, Eoghan Brown and Kielt.
And when Kielt bombed over a long range free in the 44th minute, just a point separated the sides.
Lynch’s influence was restricted thereafter by a shoulder injury, but he still contributed a point from a free, after Mickey Bourke and Newman had hit back with Meath points.
Strangely, O’Dowd replaced ace attacker Newman, who did not appear to be injured, in the 49th minute, and his side managed just one further point, a free converted by substitute Andrew Tormey.
Derry continued to build, with Gareth McKinless revelling at the back with a superb defensive display, and they repelled a series of Meath raids.
However, the Leinster men were still clinging on to a slender lead until the 68th minute, when substitute Niall Loughlin struck for a goal.
He collected from Kielt to turn his marker and slot the ball low to the net past Paddy O’Rourke, and the visitors had no answer.
Derry: T Mallon, G McKinless, C McKaigue (0-01), K McKaigue, C McFaul, B Rogers, C Mullan, C McAtamney, N Holly, D Heavron, C Bradley (0-01), E Brown (0-01), J Kielt (0-4, 3f), E McGuckin, M Lynch (0-06, 2f).
Subs: N Toner for McGuckin (27), N Loughlin (1-00) for Brown (47), E Bradley for Holly (47), E Lynn (0-01) for C Bradley (51), N Forrester for Rogers (BC 59), L McGoldrick for Mullan (63).
Meath: P O’Rourke, D Tobin, D Keogan, M Burke (0-01), D Smyth, P Harnan (0-01), A Douglas, H Rooney, C O’Brien, G Reilly (0-02), C O’Sullivan (0-02, 2f), B McMahon, D Lenihan, S Lavin, M Newman (1-04, 0-3f).
Subs: E Wallace for McMahon (41), D McDonagh for Newman (49), A Tormey (0-01, f) for Lenihan (55) S Tobin for Keogan (59)
Referee: P Neilan (Roscommon).
