After a nailbiting conclusion to the game, Meath just about clung on to secure victory in the Christy Ring Cup Final against Derry and in doing so, claim glory in the competition for the third time.
Having led by ten points at the half time interval, Meath were slowly but surely reeled in by Derry in the second half and it was a one point game deep into injury time before joint captain Jack Regan slotted his eleventh pointed free of the game to restore the two point advantage for the Meath side.
In total Regan helped himself to a haul of fourteen points in what was an outstanding display while eight players got on the scoresheet over the seventy minutes of action.
That first half of hurling was as good as Meath had hurled all season but Derry showed marvellous character to dig deep over the course of the second period as they methodically reeled in the team in green. Indeed, from the thirty eighth minute of the game, the only Meath player to register a score was Regan as he landed five valuable points to keep the game beyond the reach of the Derry side.
Meath Scorers: Jack Regan 0-14 (0-11f), Nicky Potterton 1-1, Éamon Og Ó Donnchadha 0-3, Martin Healy 0-1, Pa Ryan 0-1, Simon Ennis 0-1, James Kelly 0-1, Seanie Geraghty 0-1.
Derry Scorers: Cormac O’Doherty 1-14 (1-14f), John Mullan 0-2, Corey O’Reilly 0-2, Seán Kelly 0-1, Pádhraig Nelis 0-1, Ségdae Melaugh 0-1.
MEATH: Charlie Ennis; Seán Geraghty, Shane Brennan, Brendan McKeon; Simon Ennis, Martin Healy, Niall McLarnon; Pa Ryan, Mickey Burke; James Toher, James Kelly, Éamon Óg Ó Donnachadha, Stephen Morris, Jack Regan, Nicky Potterton.
SUBS: Gerard Dwane for Geraghty (blood 9-21), Adam Gannon for Morris (half-time), Pádraig O’Hanrahan for Ryan (52), Dwane for Brennan (52), Mark O’Sullivan for Kelly (64), James Murray for Ó Donnchadha (67).
DERRY: Oisín O’Doherty; Paddy Kelly, Mark Craig, Seán Francis Quinn; Seán Cassidy, Richie Mullan, James Friel; Cormac O’Doherty, Meehaul McGrath; Eamon Conway, Corey O’Reilly, Darragh McGilligan; Paul Cleary, John Mullan, Seán Kelly.
SUBS: Ségdae Melaugh for Kelly (13), Eoghan Cassidy for Conway (32) Pádhraig Nelis for Cleary (48), Callum O’Kane for McGilligan (60).
REF: Kevin Jordan (Tipperary)
By Brian Kelly Sat 3rd Jun
