Goals maintained Meath's bid to retain their Allianz NFL Division 2 status as they leap frogged Down in the table at Pairc Tailteann on Sunday.

Meath 4-14

Down 1-14

The Royals registered a brace in each half with two coming in the opening three minutes to carve out a lead Andy McEntee's men took to the finish.

Meath managed 2-7 in each half and finished strongly after Down rallied in the final quarter, but to no avail.

Four different players found the net for Meath with second-half goals from Padraig McKeever and sub Sean Tobin confirming the outcome.

Dunboyne's Donal Lenihan finished with 1-5, his tally capped a brilliantly dispatched penalty and a second-half 45.

Meath travel to Drogheda for their final round fixture against basement side Louth. Meanwhile, Down face high-flying Tipperary, needing a win to have any hope of avoiding the drop to Division 3.

Eight different players registered for Meath, including two subs. The same number got off the mark for Down in a game that yielded 33 scores.

Yet, a times there was evidence why both sides have struggled in this campaign. However, Meath conjured up some impressive scores and responded well when their lead was threatened on a dry afternoon with intermittent sun.

Down made little headway in the third quarter as they sought to erase a five-point interval deficit. Sub Paddy Kennelly saw his 48th minute goal attempt comfortably saved by Down 'keeper Marc Reid.

When the ball was recycled the Dunderry man pointed. By the mid-point of the second-half Meath were two goals clear, 2-11 to 0-11. Then, with an hour gone McKeever goaled - with help from Sean Tobin.

Seconds later Down pulled a goal back through Anthony Doherty and just four points separated the teams. A point from the impressive Cillian O'Sullivan steadied Meath.

They managed to keep Down at arm's lenght before sub Sean Tobin goaled in the last action of the game. Seconds earlier Graham Reilly brought his tally to 1-2.

An encouraging Meath performance leaves their destiny in their own hands.

That early salvo left Meath 2-1 to 0-0 ahead after seven minutes. Donal O'Hare posted the first of his opening half quartet of frees. But, Meath led by 2-3 to 0-1 after 20 minutes.

Down upped their game in the second quarter adding seven points in the the third quarter to be just five off the pace, 2-7 to 0-8, at the break.

Scorers: Meath - Donal Lenihan 1-5 (1-0 pen, 0-3 fs, 0-1 45); Graham Reilly 1-2; Padraig McKeever 1-1; Sean Tobin 1-0; Cillian O'Sullivan 0-3; Ben Brennan, Bryan Menton, Paddy Kennelly 0-1 each.

Down - Anthony Doherty 1-1 (0-1f); Donal O'Hare 0-5 (fs), Daragh O'Hanlon (2 fs), Connaire Harrison 0-2 each; Darren O'Hagan, Ryan McAleenan, Caolan Mooney, Kevin McKernan 0-1 each.

Meath - Andy Colgan; Seamus Lavin, Conor McGill, Brian Power; James McEntee, Donal Keogan, Shane McEntee; Bryan Menton (C), Adam Flanagan; Eamon Wallace, Ben Brennan, Graham Reilly; Cillian O'Sullivan, Padraig McKeever, Donal Lenihan. Subs - Paddy Kennelly for Flanagan (ht), Joey Wallace for Brennan (51), Sean Tobin for E Wallace (60), Bryan McMahon for McKeever (67), Mickey Burke for S McEntee (70), Thomas O'Reilly for Reilly (70).

Down - Marc Reid; Colm Flanagan, Brendan McArdle, Anthony Doherty; Ruairi Wells, Niall McParland, Caolan Mooney; Peter Turley, Niall Donnelly; Kevin McKernan, Conor Maginn, Darren O'Hagan; Connaire Harrison, Donal O'Hare, Ryan Johnston. Subs - Aaron Morgan for McKernan (BC), Sean Dornan for Johnston (45), Conor Francis for Donnelly (52), Darragh O'Hanlon for Flanagan (52), Shay Millar for Donnelly, Ryan McAleenan for O'Hagan (56), David McKibbin for O'Hare (63).

Referee - Barry Tiernan (Dublin).

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