Published: Thursday, 18th March, 2010 9:00am

Useful exercise for minor team

Cavan 1-10 Meath 0-9

Cian O'Brien in action for Meath during Saturday's Ulster MFL first round game against Cavan at Breffni Park.

Meath opened their Ulster MFL campaign at Breffni Park on Saturday against Cavan as the new management team of Davy Dalton and his selectors Dermot Rooney and Larry McEntee set out on a road which they hope will lead to Leinster and All-Ireland success later this year.

With a panel of up to 48 players still in contention for places, the game was a vital first step into competitive action for a group of players which includes some experienced hands from last year, some of the Leinster-winning Meath VEC panel and some new faces to the inter-county scene at this level.

While the majority of Cavan's scores arrived from the play, the opposite was the case for Meath with only Donal Landy and Bobby O'Brien on the mark from play.

Landy got Meath on the scoreboard after 10 minutes following a tentative opening during which Cavan managed points from Jack Brady and Paul McEvoy.

Skryne's Brian Davis drew the sides level in the 11th minute and by the end of the first-quarter Meath were ahead by 0-4 to 0-2 after good points from Daniel Queeney (free) and O'Brien.

During that opening period the Meath forwards showed plenty of determination as they worked hard off-the-ball to make openings while the defence coped well with Cavan's dangerman Andrew Dewart.

Dewart, from Gowna, caused a lot of problems on the break and was involved in the move which brought Cavan back into contention with a brace of points from Nevin O'Donnell.

Meath forged ahead again close to the interval when Queeney pointed a free out of his hands from about 40 metres for a 0-5 to 0-4 interval advantage.

Five changes at half-time probably helped the selectors in the evaluation process, but it did nothing to enhance the fluency of the team.

Bryan McMahon, Conor Downey, Gavin Eiffe, Ross Tallon and Jason Branigan replaced Sean Gaffney, Matthew Devine, Daniel McGovern, Landy and David Lynch.

The sides traded a point apiece through Queeney and O'Donnell, who was playing for the Breffni side for the first time after previously lining out in Connacht for Leitrim.

Cavan also capitalised on what was, briefly, a disjointed Meath effort and by the end of the third-quarter were ahead by 1-7 to 0-6 following a two-minute blitz which yielded 1-2.

Cian Byrne claimed the goal in the 12th minute and Jack Brady and Darragh Sexton pointed quickly from play to open that four-point gap.

Meath were also reduced to 14 players briefly when David Levins hobbled out of the action with a suspected collar-bone injury, but he was replaced Brian Moore .

Matters got worse for one Meath selector after Byrne extended Cavan's lead. Popular Nobber stalwart Larry McEntee earned the sympathy of the crowd, and a round of applause when he eventually got to his feet after the ball hit him in a delicate area.

Perhaps that show of strength on the sideline encouraged the players as they stormed back into contention with unanswered points from Queeney (two) and Brian Davis.

That reduced the deficit to a goal (0-9 to 1-9) with three minutes remaining, but Cavan substitute Karl Duke claimed an insurance point.

Meath had one last chance for a goal when O'Brien was gifted possession from a woeful attempted clearance by Cavan custodian James Farrelly. O'Brien's effort at finding the net was as good as the goalkeeper's clearance.

Cavan - J Farrelly; A Moran, J McLoughlin, P Flynn; C Moynagh, A Smith, D Sexton (0-1); P Graham, P McEvoy (0-1); A Dewart, J Brady (0-1), N O'Donnell (0-4 one free; C Byrne (1-1), F Flanagan, E O'Reilly. Subs - K Duke (0-1) for O'Reilly half-time; J Madden for McEvoy 34mins; S Harten for Flynn 37m; S Wharton for Sexton 53m.

Meath - Conor McHugh (Oldcastle); David Levins (St Colmcille's), Conor McGill (Ratoath), Sean Gaffney (Simonstown Gaels); Matthew Devine (Donaghmore / Ashbourne), Farrell McManus (Ratoath), David Lynch (Na Fianna); Cian O'Brien (Ratoath), Daniel Queeney (Na Fianna 0-5 frees); Daniel McGovern (Gaeil Cholmcille), Fergus Toolan (Dunshaughlin), Bobby O'Brien (Ratoath 0-1); Donal Landy (St Patrick's 0-1), James Conlon (Seneschalstown), Brian Davis (Skryne 0-2 frees). Subs - Gavin Eiffe (Ratoath) for Gaffney, Conor Downey (Na Fianna) for Devine, Jason Branigan (Duleek / Bellewstown) for Lynch, Ross Tallon (Summerhill) for McGovern, Bryan McMahon (Ratoath) for Landy (all half-time), Brian Moore (Duleek / Bellewstown) for Levins 49 mins.

Referee - Sean Gilsenan (Monaghan).