MEATH…1-20
LONDON…1-10
There was something ironically apt about the Shine twins, Daire and Tom, being to the fore as Meath defied the murky conditions in Trim to open their National Hurling League campaign off to an impressive start against the Exiles.
In so doing, Johnny Greville’s side put to bed the memory of last year’s dozen point defeat against the same opposition. Despite Mikey Cole netting on his home club pitch, the sides went in deadlocked at the interval 1-05 to 0-08.
Granted, the tourists were reduced to 14 when their skipper Conor Byrne was given a straight red card by Waterford whistler Nicky O’Toole, but, even that wouldn’t fully explain the manner in which the home team assumed control after half time.
What is likely to please Greville et al, even more, mind you, is that they were able to produce such a performance and chalk up a result without so many who would be consider mainstays of their first choice line up.
SCORERS – T. Shine (0-8), M. Cole (1-3), M. Leavy (0-3), D. Shine and L. Byrne (0-2 each), C. Leavy and D. Healy (0-1 each).
MEATH – G. King; C. Leavy, D. Shine, J. Ennis; D. Heffernan, S. Ennis, S. Geragthy; L. Byrne, T. Shine; D. Healy, J. Cole, E. Donegan; M. Leavy, M. Cole, D. O’Higgins.
SUBS – C. Barron for O’Higgins, J. Walsh for D. Healy, F. Flynn for M. Cole, R. Fagan for C. Leavy.
Referee – Nicky O’Toole (Waterford).