Royals overcome by Tyrone in Healy ParkSunday 25 Mar 2012

Royals overcome by Tyrone in Healy ParkSunday 25 Mar 2012
Four straight defeats have left the Royals on the brink of relegation to Division Three, and they must beat neighbours Louth next weekend to make sure of survival.

Tyrone had nothing to play for after securing promotion last week, but they had no difficulty in stretching their winning run to six games at Healy Park. Meath offered little more than token resistance as they crashed to a 10-point defeat.
Manager Seamus McEnaney is under serious pressure as he looks for a way to turn things around.

He opted not to speak to the media following this latest reversal, but selector Tom Keague insisted that the management and players will face up to the crisis.

"We're the only ones who can dig ourselves out of this now. Two weeks ago we were looking towards promotion, and now we have to win this game to avoid relegation," said Keague. "We're so flat at the minute, and between players, manager, selectors, we have to turn this thing around very quickly."

Disastrous
After winning their first two games against Monaghan and Westmeath, the Meath men were confident and upbeat, but all that has changed following a disastrous run of results.

"It's got worse each game. We tried our hardest, but Tyrone were the superior team, far sharper all over the field, they were winning all the breaks," said Keague.

"We have a huge game against Louth. There's no-one blaming anyone, we're all in this together."

Stephen O'Neill punched in a fifth-minute goal, and Meath were chasing the game after that.

The Red Hands stepped on the gas in the final 10 minutes of the first half to lead 1-6 to 0-3 at the halfway stage. Even with wind advantage, Meath could not turn the game around, and points from Kyle Coney (2), Mark Donnelly and Cathal McCarron soon had Tyrone ahead by 10 points.

The Leinster men managed just two second-half points, and played the last 20 minutes with 14 men after full-back Kevin Reilly was booked for a second time.

Man of the Match: Peter Harte (Tyrone)
SCORERS -- Tyrone: S O'Neill 1-2, K Coney 0-4 (4f), P Harte, S Cavanagh (1f) 0-2 each, A Cassidy, C McCarron 0-1 each; Meath: C Ward 0-3 (1f, 1 '45'), S Bray (1f), G Reilly 0-1 each.

TYRONE -- J Devine 6; A McCrory 7, J McMahon 6, C Gormley 6; C McCarron 7, P Harte 8, R McMenamin 6; A Cassidy 6, C Cavanagh 7; R McNabb 7, Mark Donnelly 7, S Cavanagh 7; K Coney 6, N McKenna 6, S O'Neill 7. Subs: O Mulligan 5 for O'Neill, J Lafferty 4 for Coney, C Girvan 4 for Donnelly, S McNally 4 for McNabb.
MEATH -- D Gallagher 6; M Burke 6, K Reilly 7, C King 7; S McAnarney 6, B Menton 6, D Tobin 7; T Walsh 6, M Ward 6; S Kenny 6, S Bray 6, G Reilly 6; P Gilsenan 7, J Queeny 6, C Ward 7. Subs: B Meade 6 for Walsh, B Farrell 4 for Kenny, C Gillespie 4 for M Ward, D Carroll 4 for G Reilly.
REF -- P Hughes (Armagh)
http://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-football/mcenaney-lost-for-words-as-royals-face-battle-to-avoid-relegation-3060858.html