Watch: Doherty and Toner fire in the goals as Derry thump Royals

February 18, 2023

Derry's Niall Toner and Meath's Adam O'Neill ©INPHO/Lorcan Doherty

Derry extended their lead at the top of the Allianz Football League Division 2 table with an impressive 2-15 to 1-7 win against Meath in Owenbeg this evening.

The Ulster champions had the visitors all but closed out by the end of the first-half, with goals from Ethan Doherty and Niall Toner sending them towards a 2-7 to 0-3 interval lead.

Doherty’s goal came after just 45 seconds off the back of a fantastic individual effort from the Glen clubman (see below) while Toner netted in the added minutes before the break to leave the Royals with a mountain to try and scale.

Meath boss Colm O’Rourke introduced Daithi McGowan and Shane Crosby for the start of the second-half, but the one-way traffic for the Oak Leafers looked like continuing when points from Eoin McEvoy and Shane McGuigan sailed over Harry Hogan’s crossbar.

Jason Scully did set-up Thomas O’Reilly for a Meath goal, making it 2-9 to 1-4, but it was mere consolation as the hosts hit back with the next points via Doherty, Benny Heron (2), Paul Cassidy and marksman McGuigan.

The win marks Derry’s third successive of the campaign, moving them up to six points and, as it stands, the hot favourites to achieve promotion to the top tier.


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