Ciarán Caulfield, Meath, and Luke Molloy, Cavan, in Allianz Football League action. Photo by Tyler Miller/Sportsfile
Allianz Football League Division Two
Meath 3-21 (3-4-13) Cavan 0-20 (0-6-8)
By Paul Keane at Pairc Tailteann
Former captain Ronan Jones hit the net twice in Navan as Meath recorded their first competitive win under new manager Robbie Brennan.
Meath created 41 scoring chances against Cork in Round 1, despite ultimately losing that game, and were in attack mode again at Pairc Tailteann where they picked up their first two points of the Division Two campaign.
There was rarely much doubt about the outcome in truth with Meath leading from the fourth minute until full-time in front of a large home crowd.
Aside from Jones, Jordan Morris also raised a green flag for Meath and finished with 1-4 though Cavan will really feel that all three goals should have been avoided.
Eoghan Frayne was on form for Meath also and finished with eight points, a haul that included two two-pointers.
Long-range scores from beyond the new 40m arc were a feature of the Division 2 derby tie with 10 of them in all between the teams, Cavan notching six.
Gearoid McKiernan gave Cavan fans some cheer by coming on for his first appearance of the season. The former captain hadn't played for Cavan since 2023 but put some gloss on the scoreline with three two-pointers.
Darragh Lovett also put in a huge shift on his full NFL debut for Cavan, finishing with 0-9.
Cavan, who also lost to Monaghan in Round 1, will attempt to pick up the pieces against Louth in a fortnight, back at Kingspan Breffni, while Meath will travel to play Down on Saturday evening, February 15.
The wind played a big part in Meath hitting the ground running this time with the Royals registering 0-6 in the opening 10 minutes, new captain Frayne twice capitalising on the breeze and floating over two two-pointers.
Sigerson Cup semi-finalist Lovett, one of three late additions to the Cavan team along with Cian Reilly and Conor Madden, was the Breffni County's principal outlet up front and accounted for all but one of their eight first-half points.
The Killygarry and TU Dublin forward floated over a two-pointer from a 12th minute free to keep Cavan in it after that slow start but the visitors were hit with a real sucker punch when Jones netted Meath's first goal.
Cavan were caught out badly when an attack broke down following a Seamus Lavin turnover for Meath and with the Cavan goalkeeper high up the pitch, Meath quickly worked the ball out to Jones who blasted from around 50 metres out to an empty net.
Menton got in on the two-point act with a beauty from long-range for Meath and both Frayne and Morris weighed in with points immediately after to give Meath a healthy 1-12 to 0-8 half-time lead.
Brennan made a series of late changes to his Meath team, amounting to three changes to the lineup that started against Cork last weekend; Sean Rafferty, Jones and Conor Duke all coming in.
One interesting feature of the first-half was a placed ball scored by Frayne. It came from an advanced mark initially won by Jones but which Frayne chose to tap over after the initial goal chance came to nought.
Cavan went after two-pointers in the second-half with the wind behind them and tallied five of them in that period alone, McKiernan making a big impact with three of those after making his seasonal return as a substitute. Oisin Kiernan and Lovett struck their other two-pointers.
But the 2020 Ulster champions were always chasing the game and didn't help themselves with the concession of two more soft goals in the final quarter hour.
Meath were 1-19 to 0-15 ahead in the 58th minute when James Conlon's point attempt dropped short and Jones this time got to the aerial ball ahead of the goalkeeper to fist over the line.
Meath's third goal fell into the fluke category as Morris poke a shot soccer style through the legs of substitute 'keeper Nevin O'Donnell.
Goalkeeper Billy Hogan and Ruairi Kinsella stroked over scores for Meath as well, setting them up nicely for the trip to face old foes Down in Round 3.
Scorers for Meath: Ronan Jones 2-0, Eoghan Frayne 0-8 (1 2pt, 1 2ptf, 1f, 1 mark), Jordan Morris 1-4 (1f), Billy Hogan 0-2 (1 2ptf), Ruairi Kinsella 0-2, Bryan Menton 0-2 (1 2pt), Jack Flynn 0-1, Eoin Harkin 0-1, Shane Walsh 0-1.
Scorers for Cavan: Darragh Lovett 0-9 (0-4f, 1 2pt, 1 2ptf), Gearoid McKiernan 0-6 (2 2ptf, 1 2pt), Oisin Kiernan 0-2 (1 2pt), Conor Madden 0-2, Dara McVeety 0-1.
Meath: Billy Hogan; Donal Keogan, Sean Rafferty, Seamus Lavin; Ciaran Caulfield, Eoin Harkin, Sean Coffey; Jack Flynn, Bryan Menton; Ronan Jones, Jack Kinlough, Conor Duke; Jordan Morris, Shane Walsh, Eoghan Frayne.
Subs: Ruairi Kinsella for Menton 45, James Conlon for Walsh 53, Conor Gray for Jones 60, Cillian O'Sullivan for Duke 63, Aaron Lynch for Kinlough 68.
Cavan: Gary O'Rourke; Brian O'Connell, Niall Carolan, Cian Reilly; Jason McLoughlin, Dara McVeety, Oisin Kiernan; Padraig Faulkner, James Smith; Gerard Smith, Luke Molloy, Ciaran Brady; Darragh Lovett, Conor Madden, Sean McEvoy.
Subs: Gearoid McKiernan for Molloy h/t, Luke Fortune for Faulkner 48, Nevin O'Donnell for O'Rourke 52, Ryan O'Neill for McEvoy 60, Evan Crowe for McLoughlin 61.
Referee: Seamus Mulhare (Laois).
