2023 Allianz Football League Division 2 – Limerick 0-17 Meath 2-11

Limerick and Meath finished level on a scorelie of 0-17 to 2-11 in the Allianz Football League Division 2 on Sunday March 5th at TUS Gaelic Grounds, Limerick.

Match Highlights

On Sunday @MeathGAA travelled to TUS Gaelic Grounds to face @LimerickCLG in a Division 2 clash. Watch the highlights from what played out to be a thrilling draw with GAANOW. #AllianzLeagues pic.twitter.com/4dxMAhiuVK

— The GAA (@officialgaa) March 7, 2023

Limerick get on the board with draw as Meath miss two late chances to clinch win https://t.co/2ig45oXgwv

— Irish Examiner Sport (@ExaminerSport) March 5, 2023

Limerick get on the board with draw as Meath miss two late chances to clinch win

Allianz Football League Division 2

Limerick 0-17 Meath 2-11

Report by Stephen Barry for the Irish Examiner newspaper

Meath missed two stoppage-time 45s as Limerick picked up their first point of Division 2 in front of 1,039 spectators at the Gaelic Grounds.

In a game that was level nine times, Meath trailed for much of the day but second-half goals from Mathew Costello and Donal Lenihan left it to Brian Donovan to kick the 69th-minute equaliser.

But Meath had the final four chances. Lenihan landed a long-range effort onto the crossbar, Harry Hogan pulled one 45 wide, Jack Flynn took a 45-metre free short which Jordan Morris saw blocked, and Flynn’s final 45 drifted well wide.

Limerick’s defending was tenacious as they attacked Meath’s supply lines from the front. Seven times they turned over possession in the full-back line, with five of those counter-attacks resulting in points.

Brian Fanning was turning in a totemic performance man-marking Meath dangerman Shane Walsh, who was hooked at half-time. He produced three of those turnovers, which translated into two points for James Naughton.

The one time he was caught out by a high ball over his head on the half-hour, he was bailed out by goalkeeper Donal O’Sullivan standing tall as Walsh shot under pressure.

Colm McSweeney also produced two big turnovers, the latter a crucial interception as Donal Keogan sought out Cillian O’Sullivan’s run in behind. Both were converted into points for Cian Sheehan and Cathal Downes.

Limerick kicked five in a row to begin the second quarter, with Donovan winning three frees for Naughton to score.

They led by four and although Meath responded with two flowing counter-attacks after Walsh’s goal chance for Flynn and Morris to land points, Limerick cancelled them out through Cillian Fahy and that final Downes point. 0-10 to 0-6 at half-time.

Colm O’Rourke made three changes at the break, Walsh joined in exiting by Daniel O’Neill and Jason Scully, but Meath were no more accurate, kicking three wides on the resumption.

It took until the 44th minute for those changes to take effect, and for the first score of the half to arrive. When it did, it was a big one.

Diarmuid Moriarty beat Fanning out to the ball, Morris’s run cut Limerick open, and he squared for Costello to tap home. Costello and Morris added quickfire points, Meath were ahead.

They had 13 wides, though, as a first-touch point for Adrian Enright and Naughton’s sixth edged Limerick two up. But O’Rourke called on Lenihan and when Morris turned over Sheehan from a short kick-out, the corner-forward dispatched his first touch to the net. 2-10 to 0-14.

Davy Lyons became the third player to score with his first touch, his miscued point when aiming for goal levelling the game for an eighth time.

Morris and Donovan exchanged superb points but neither side could find the winner.

Scorers for Limerick: J Naughton (0-6, 4 frees); C Downes, B Donovan (0-2 each); I Corbett, C Fahy, C Sheehan, H Bourke, A Enright, D Lyons, P Maher (0-1 each).

Scorers for Meath: M Costello (1-3, 0-2 frees); D Lenihan (1-0); J Morris (0-3); D Moriarty (0-2); R Jones, J Flynn, J O’Connor (0-1 each).

LIMERICK: D O’Sullivan; B Fanning, M Donovan, S O’Dea; B Coleman, I Corbett, T McCarthy; C McSweeney, C Downes; C Fahy, J Naughton, C Sheehan; K Ryan, H Bourke, B Donovan.
Subs: P Maher for McCarthy (49), P Nash for Corbett (50 inj), A Enright for Ryan (55), G Brown for Coleman (58), D Lyons for Bourke (66).

MEATH: H Hogan; A O’Neill, M Flood, R Ryan; S McEntee, D Keogan, D O’Neill; R Jones, J Flynn; C O’Sullivan, J Scully, J O’Connor; J Morris, M Costello, S Walsh.
Subs: B Conlon for D O’Neill (h-t), D McGowan for Scully (h-t), D Moriarty for Walsh (h-t), D Lenihan for McEntee (59), A Lynch for O’Sullivan (70+2).

Referee: D O’Mahoney (Tipperary).

Team News

Limerick Senior Football Team to play Meath this Sunday in the Allianz Football League is announced pic.twitter.com/HSJLIXHwhs

— Limerick Footballers (@LmkFootballers) March 3, 2023

The team news is in for Sunday's crucial Allianz Football League Round 5 game against Limerick and there are two alterations to the starting XV that played Louth last week.#AnMhíAbú #MeathGAA #BectiveStud #AllianzLeagues https://t.co/IihKre2z92

— Meath GAA (@MeathGAA) March 3, 2023