Monaghan 3-7 Meath 2-10:A point by Graham Geraghty a minute into injury-time saw Meath snatch a draw at the end of a dramatic game that was played in difficult conditions in Scotstown yesterday.
Monaghan were a transformed team from that which lost to Wexford at the same venue a week earlier while Meath showed a degree of hunger right from the outset. However, they had to play the final quarter with 14 players after the dismissal of full back Darren Fay in the 16th minute of the second half.
The first half was a nip and tuck affair with the sides level on three occasions before Adrian Kenny and Ronan Fitzsimons put Meath two points clear approaching the half hour. But Monaghan responded with a well-struck goal in the 32nd minute from John Paul Mone, giving them a 1-4 to 0-5 lead at the break.
The third quarter produced a riot of goals and football that belied the difficult conditions with Damien Freeman's goal starting a dramatic eight-minute spell that saw both sides register two goals apiece. Within a minute of his strike Graham Geraghty replied for Meath and then after an exchange of points, Evan Kelly found the net to bring Meath level. But Monaghan regained the lead with a second goal by Mone when he got a fist to a speculative centre from Jason Hughes.
And the drama continued with Fay incurring a red card and play became a little scrappy as tempers flared and a succession of yellow cards were issued.
Entering the final 10 minutes Monaghan were still three points up but Meath had levelled by the 29th minute with points by Richie Kealy (two frees) and substitute Daithi Regan to set the game up for a grandstand finish. Rory Woods restored Monaghan's lead in the 31st minute before Geraghty earned Meath a dramatic late equaliser.
MONAGHAN: G Murphy, P McKenna, D McDermott, C Flanagan, G McQuaid, A Rooney, R Ronaghan, J Hughes, J McElroy, E Lennon (0-1), T Freeman (0-1), JP Mone (2-0), K Tavey, R Woods (0-1), D Freeman (1-4). Subs: S McManus for Tavey, D McArdle for McKenna.
MEATH: C Sullivan, S Kenny, D Fay, C Murphy, P Reynolds, T Giles, A Kenny (0-1), N Crawford, A Moyles (0-1), E Kelly (1-0), M O'Dowd, P Shankey, R Kealy (0-4), G Geraghty (1-2), R Fitzsimons (0-1). Subs: D Curtis for Kenny; M O'Reilly for Kealy; Kealy for Fitzsimons, D Regan (0-1) for O'Dowd.
Referee: M Daly (Mayo)
