Meath 3-15 Derry 0-09
Cillian O'Sullivan's two-goal blast helped Meath to come from behind in Navan and seal their first Allianz league win under Andy McEntee, keeping their Division 2 promotion hopes alive.
The Royal County were poor initially and trailed by two points at half-time but opened up with some stunning football after the break for a surprising 15-point win.
O'Sullivan finished with 2-02 while Bryan Menton had a terrific afternoon at midfield having returned to the panel after a year out.
Substitute Bryan McMahon grabbed Meath's other goal and finished with 1-01 though Alan Forde, who enjoyed a strong game, was dismissed for a second yellow card with five minutes to go.
Both sides were looking to improve on their opening day performances with Meath losing by 10 points to Kildare and Derry drawing with Clare.
Meath were fancied on home soil and had more of the early chances but racked up the wides as they played into a stiff breeze.
Free-taker Donal Lenihan found the conditions difficult and dragged kicks wide from placed balls at the town end of the ground.
Shane McEntee and Menton did put the Royals 0-02 to 0-00 ahead but Derry picked off enough scores to fight back to level terms on three different occasions.
Benny Heron and Conor McAtamney took advantage of the wind to launch over points for Damian Barton's men.
Emmett McGuckin tied up at 0-04 apiece after a clever rob further out the field of Meath forward Conor Downey who was taken off soon after.
It was a poor first-half in truth and Meath were guilty of several bad errors in the attacking area with Donal Keogan racing forward and losing possession and O'Sullivan blazing a goal chance over.
Three Derry points in a row late in the half was enough to put the visitors 0-06 to 0-04 ahead at half-time.
They retained a two-point advantage in the third quarter but 1-06 without reply from Meath including O'Sullivan's first goal turned the game on its head and secured a surprisingly comfortable win.
The hosts surged 1-09 to 0-08 ahead with 15 minutes to go and, crucially, looked much tighter at the back and far more potent when breaking forward.
Menton was lording it in the middle third and gathered the ball superbly with a deft flick up while running before fisting over his third point.
Substitute Ruairi O Coileain stretched the gap to five with a 60th minute Meath point and the Oak Leaf men looked clearn out of ideas.
Meath lose the influential Forde to a second yellow card with five minutes remaining but responded with their second goal when Menton set McMahon clear for a classy finish.
Meath: P O'Rourke; D Keogan, C McGill, M Burke; W Carry, B Power, S McEntee (0-01); J Toher (0-01, 0-01 45), B Menton (0-04); A Forde (0-01), C O'Brien (0-01), C O'Sullivan (2-02); C Downey, B Sheridan (0-01), D Lenihan.
Subs: J Wallace (0-01) for Downey, R O Coileain (0-02) for Burke, B McMahon (1-01) for Lenihan, E Wallace for McEntee, K Ross for E Wallace (black card), S Tobin for Sheridan.
Derry: B McKinless; R Murphy, C Nevin, P Hagan; N Keenan, N Forrester, M McEvoy; C McAtamney (0-01), J Kielt (0-02); E Lynn (0-02), N Loughlin (0-01, 0-01f), C McWilliams; D Talon, B Heron (0-02), E McGuckin (0-01).
Subs: O Hegarty for Hagan, J Doherty for Nevin, G O'Neill for McAtamney, R Bell for Loughlin, T Mallon for McKinless (black card), E Lynn (black card, not replaced).
Referee: L Devenney (Mayo).
