Meath  0-13
Kildare 0-11

Meath staged a stirring final quarter rally to overcome Kildare in this Allianz FL Division 2 second round clash at Parc Tailteann on Saturday night.

The Royals were in arrears for most of the hour before outscoring Kildare by 0-5 to 0-1 in the final quarter to earn their first points of the the campaign.

Team captain Donal Keogan led by example in the 57th minute with a forward surge to place Stephen Bray for the point that left Meath one of the pace 0-9 to 0-10.

It wasn't until the 61st minute that Meath drew level with Andrew Tormey pointing after a late tackle on Michael Newman. Seconds later the home side regained a lead last held in 10th minute.

Playing controlled possession football, Meath bossed the remainder of the game. However, Kildare tied the scores for the fourth and final time through Eoghan O'Flaherty (free).

Meath closed in on their first points of the campaign with late scores from Tormey (play) and Adam Flanagan.

Scores were tied twice early on before Kildare kicked on in the second quarter through Keith Cribbin, Darrach Mulhall (free) and Fionn Dowling. When Padraig O'Neill registered it was 0-7 to 0-3 to the Lilywhites after 33 minutes.

Bryan Menton surged upfield to pull a point back for Meath before the break when the board read 0-7 to 0-4 to the visitors. Kildare added the first score of the second-half through Mulhall.

Meath's cause was hindered by six first-half wides into the swimming pool goal while Kildare had none. That changed somewhat from the resumption with the visitors hitting five wides to the hosts' two.

Mulhall's accuracy ensured Kildare led by four (0-9 to 0-5) after 42 minutes. Then the pendulum swung gradually Meath's way. Sub Sean Tobin (who replaced the blackcarded Graham Reilly after 10 minutes) landed two frees.

Goalkeeper Paddy O'Rourke also got off the mark, from a long range free to leave just a point in it midway through the second-half, 0-8 to 0-9.

It set up an exciting final quarter in which Meath prevailed to the vociferous cheers of their supporters. It was Kildare's second loss of the campaign (they were undone by a late Down surge six days earlier) and was their first league loss to the Royals since 2010.

Meath scorers - A Tormey 0-4 (1f), M Newman 0-3 (2fs), B Menton 0-1, S Tobin 0-2 (2fs), S Bray 0-1, P O'Rourke 0-1 (f).

Kildare scorers -  D Mulhall 0-4 (4fs), F Dowling 0-2, P O'Neill 0-2, K Cribben 0-1, M O'Grady 0-1, E O'Flaherty 0-1 (f).

Meath - Paddy O'Rourke; Donnacha Tobin, Conor McGill, Mickey Burke; Padraic Harnan, Donal Keogan, Bryan Menton; Harry Rooney, Adam Flanagan; Graham Reilly, Davy Dalton, Andrew Tormey; Joey Wallace, Stephen Bray, Mickey Newman. Subs - Sean Tobin for Reilly (black card 10), David Bray for J Wallace (35), Brian Power for Tobin (blood sub 34-54) Brian Power for Harnan (55),  E Wallace for D Bray (66).

Kildare - Mark Donnellan; Ciaran Fitzpatrick, Peter Kelly, Mick O'Grady; Ollie Lyons, Daryl O'Brien, Eoin Doyle; Gary White, Padraig O'Neill; Eamonn Callaghan, Keith Cribbin, Eoghan O'Flaherty; Darroch Mulhall, Fionn Dowling, Padraig Fogarty. Subs - Niall Kelly for Dowling (52), Tomas O'Connor for Fogarty (61), Fergal Conway for Fitzpatrick (66).

Referee - Ciaran Branagan (Down)

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