Royals and Rebels record second wins in Division 2

February 15, 2025

Down's Peter Fegan tackles Ryan Jones of Meath Β©INPHO/Leah Scholes

Meath made it back-to-back wins in Division 2 of the Allianz Football League after holding off Down in Newry this evening.

It finished 0-24 to 1-18 at Pairc Esler, where Robbie Brennan’s men produced their best football in the third quarter after having shipped an Ordhan Murdock goal in the run up to half-time that saw them trailing by 1-9 to 0-10 at the interval.

Eoghan Frayne and Jordan Morris sailed over early second-half points for the visitors and they’d hit the front through Morris before going on to extend their lead to seven as Ciaran Caulfield - DCU’s Sigerson Cup winning captain in midweek - also got in on the act of scoring.

The hosts would trim their deficit down to two with the help of points from Daniel Guinness, Danny Magill and Pat Havern (free), but the Royals were able to see out the win in the closing stages with Frayne’s free rounding off their winning tally.

Meanwhile, Cork and Westmeath served up a cracking encounter at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh where the Rebels were able to squeeze out a 3-18 to 3-17 victory.

Chris Og Jones (3-4) registered a hat-trick for the home side, leaving him on five goals in total after the first three rounds, as Dermot McCabe’s side lost out by the minimum to be inflicted with their third straight loss.

Matthew Whittaker and Jones traded goals in the opening 15 minutes of the game and, despite Cork going on to lead by six, it was Eoghan McSweeney’s two-pointer that proved the difference for them at half-time (1-10 to 1-9).

Westmeath hit the front with a Sam McCartan goal five minutes into the resumption, but two goals from Jones gave the Munster side control again for the closing stages and not even a goal from Ronan Wallace at the death would deny them.


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