NFL - Dublin 0-13 Meath 2-06

Dublin returned to Division 1 after a hard fought win over Meath in Parnell Park on Sunday. Brendan Mcmanamon started the day with a superb point, quickly folowed with a point from an impossible angle from Dermot Connolly. Around the field the Dubs were superb chasing & harrying at every opportunity. Meath were no push overs and must have been happy going into the break only trailing by a point 0-05 to 0-04 and with the wind at their backs to come in the 2nd period. But even with one man down the Dubs were to show their metal. Quinn, Cullen, Sherlock & Connolly kicked brilliantly and coming close to injury time the Dubs were 7 points up. Then in minutes of madness Sheridan & Bray goalled & following another Meath point it was all square & it looked bad. But there is pride in this panel & when Paul Flynn fed Quinn & Mossy was hauled to the ground the chance was there to win the game. Pillar likes to test the nerves of the crowd & with Mossy expected to kick the free, on came Mark Vaughan to kick the winner with his 1st shot of the game. There was still time but the Blues held on & the crowd went wild reflecting their joy & pride in their Blue charges.

Inspirationally led by Eamonn Fennell, Bryan Cullen & Jason Sherlock the Dubs were full of heart around the field. Dermot Connolly showed his class running Darren Fay ragged, while special mention also to Ross McConnell, much criticised in recent weeks, who dominated Meath full forwards throughout the game.

Much press attention will focus on the dust up early on which saw Bernard Brogan, Paddy Andrews & the 2 Meath corner backs walk & on the sending off of Ciaran Whelan for retalliating to a punch received. Paddy Russell acted, as he had to, however there must be a lot of frustration as the incidents which led particularly to the dust up went unpunished. In this case Tomas Quinn received a kick while on the ground with the perpetrator getting off scot free. While Whelo retalliated to a pinch received and again the player who threw the 1st punch left unpunished.

However none of this should take from a Dublin performance that lifted the spirits following last week's showing in Crossmaglen & the opportunity to win the league title next week against Westmeath.

Dublin - Stephen Cluxton; David Henry, Ross McConnell, Paddy Andrews; Colin Moran (0-01), Bryan Cullen, Ger Brennan (Barry Cahill (65)); Ciaran Whelan, Eamonn Fennell (Paul Casey (60)); Brendan McManamon (0-01) (Shane Ryan (50)), Jason Sherlock (0-01), Paul Flynn; Tomas Quinn (0-06) (Mark Vaughan (70) (0-01)), Diarmuid Connolly (0-03), Bernard Brogan.

Meath -- B Murphy; N McKeigue, D Fay, S McAnarney; S Kenny (1-00), C King (C O'Connor (65)), E Harrington; N Crawford, M Ward (0-01) (B Meade (55)); G Reilly (0-01) (K Reilly (35)), C Ward (0-01), P Byrne (0-01); S Bray (0-01), J Sheridan (1-01), G Geraghty.