All-Ireland SFC: Roscommon 2-15 Meath 0-21
Enda Smith spearheaded Roscommon’s revival as Davy Burke’s men overturned a five-point interval deficit to keep their chances of progression from Group 2 alive.
A pulsating game between two evenly-matched teams saw both sides spurn chances to win it after Ruairí Kinsella brought the sides level with six minutes remaining.
All of Roscommon’s five second-half scores with the wind at their backs came from two-pointers, with Smith kicking three of them, while top scorer Diarmuid Murtagh added another brace.
James Conlon was superb for the visitors in the opening half with 0-6, including a two-pointer, but Smith was his side’s hero after the break.
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Ruairí Kinsella raised his side’s first orange flag with the outside of his right boot in the fifth minute before Eoghan Frayne opened up a three-point gap after the visitors capitalised on a Roscommon turnover
But Roscommon wiped out that deficit when Senan Lambe set up Diarmuid Murtagh for a well-taken goal after seven minutes.
Dylan Ruane nudged his side in front after Roscommon worked the ball upfield from goalkeeper Conor Carroll but the excellent James Conlon – who scored 0-5 from play during a productive opening 35 minutes – got off the mark to bring the sides level.
In the 15th minute, Roscommon struck for a second goal when Shane Cunnane found Ben O’Carroll raiding in behind the Meath rearguard, and the St Brigid’s forward produced an assured finish past Billy Hogan.
Meath began to win the midfield battle, and Roscommon’s cause wasn’t helped by the loss of Niall Higgins to injury.
Conlon added a couple of rapid-fire points before Daire Cregg replied for the Rossies after Lambe grabbed primary possession in the middle of the park.
But Meath began to flex their muscles, mostly off Roscommon turnovers and their dominance around the middle.
Conlon and Conor Duke sent over a couple of two-pointers in jig time, while Jordan Morris also found the range to open up a 0-12 to 2-3 gap.
Menton arced over the Royals’ fourth two-pointer of the half, and Conlon soon added to his tally to stretch his side’s buffer to six points.
Cregg grabbed a much-needed score for Roscommon before Morris and Ciaráin Murtagh – a free on the hooter – left it 0-16 to 2-5 in favour of Meath at the change of ends.
The second half was laden with drama as Smith put a missed 41st-minute penalty behind him to lead his side’s charge.
Billy Hogan’s 46th-minute two-point free from 45 metres, following earlier points from Seán Coffey and Frayne, left Meath 0-20 to 2-9 ahead, but Robbie Brennan’s side would only trouble the scoreboard once more.
Diarmuid Murtagh kicked a couple of two-pointers, while Smith added another to leave the Rossies ahead by the bare minimum with nine minutes remaining.
Kinsella restored parity, and it took a last-ditch block from Seán Rafferty to deny Ben O’Carroll after Mathew Costello had hit the post at the other end.
ROSCOMMON: C Carroll, N Higgins, C Neary, D Murray; R Daly, B Stack, S Lambe (0-0-1); E Nolan, S Cunnane; D Ruane (0-0-1), C Murtagh (0-0-1, 1f), E Smith (0-3-0); D Murtagh (1-2-0), D Cregg (0-0-2), B O’Carroll (1-0-0).
Subs: P Frost for Higgins (14), D Smith for C Murtagh (49), C McKeon for Ruane (49), K Doyle for Nolan (57), R Fallon for Lambe (64).
MEATH: B Hogan (0-1-0, 1tpf); S Lavin, S Rafferty, B O’Halloran; D Keogan, S Coffey (0-0-1), C Caulfield; A O’Neill, B Menton (0-1-0); C Duke (0-1-0), R Kinsella (0-1-1), M Costello (0-0-1, 1f); J Morris (0-0-2), J Conlon (0-1-4), E Frayne (0-0-2).
Subs: C Hickey for Duke (55), K Curtis for Frayne (59), C Gray for Menton (64), J McEntee for Lavin (65), E Harkin for O’Neill (67).
Referee: P Faloon (Down).
