Published: Wednesday, 24th March, 2010 5:00pm

Hurlers restore normal service

Meath 2-18 Mayo 1-12

Meath custodian Stephen Quinn is distracted by Martin Devaney for Mayo's goal at Pairc Tailteann on Sunday.

It was clear from as early as the first minute that Meath were intent on making amends for their dismal showing in Tralee when they tackled Mayo in the NHL Div 3A at Pairc Tailteann on Sunday.

Nicky Horan doubled on the sliotar for a goal which boosted Meath to a comfortable NHL Div 3A victory over a Mayo that had only lost to the Kingdom by a point.

From the moment Horan found the net there was only one likely outcome and that was a Meath win that sets up next Saturday's game against Derry in Navan with the winner facing Kerry in the Div 3A final.

The ease of Meath's win over the Connacht side should be tempered by the fact that Mairtin Brennan's side were without their two Tipperary men and outstanding scorer Kevin O'Higgins.

Meath were also short regulars with Joey Keena, Enda Fitzgerald and Ger Murphy all ruled out, but they had no problems in making effective switches with Stephen Clynch proving capable of knocking over points from centre-back with as much ease as he can from centre-forward.

Clynch was once again outstanding, but he was well supported throughout with substitute Kevin Keena making a significant contribution and Stephen Donoghue impressing from midfield.

Peter Durnin was also a lively threat and while Neil Hackett was wayward from play his unerring accuracy from frees ensured that Mayo were punished inside 70 metres.

On the rare occasion that Mayo threatened Stephen Quinn's goal they found Paul Fagan to be a pillar of strength for TJ Reilly's side. Martin Horan and Michael Foley also had decent outings, but without O'Higgins and their Tipperary contingent Mayo were a blunt attacking threat.

It wasn't until Quinn was deceived by David Dowling's speculative centre for a goal with 15 minutes remaining that Mayo started to look more threatening. Meath had eased off at that stage and substitute Stephen Hunt managed to get in for four points in the final seven minutes to take some of the bad look off Mayo's display.

Meath were fully deserving of their nine-point victory, but Reilly was disappointed that they didn't exert their dominance on the scoreboard in the second-half.

After Nicky Horan had doubled Clynch's long free to the net in the first minute, the sides settled with Durnin and Clynch responding to pointed frees from Stephen Hoban. Mayo closed the deficit to a point before the end of the first-quarter with fine points from Dowling and Niall Murphy, but Meath dominated the remainder of the half.

A poor Mayo clearance allowed Donoghue settle Meath with a point and a brace of close range Hackett frees edged the hosts 1-5 to 0-4 clear. When Kevin Keena's great run and clever flick set up Nicky Horan for his second goal, Meath's advantage was out to seven points.

Donoghue and another Hackett free rattled Mayo further, but they continued to battle with Murphy forcing Quinn to produce a fine save three minutes before the break. A Hoban free also hit the upright as Mayo trailed by 0-4 to 2-7 at the break.

The second-half was an even affair with Meath adding 0-11 to their tally in response to Mayo's return of 1-8. However, the Royals only operated in second gear after the break and never looked in danger.

Meath's victory would have been a lot more comfortable were it not for some brilliant goalkeeping from Nicholas O Lonain who produced heroics to deny Hackett from a 20-metre free and then Durnin from the rebound.

He was again superb to keep out a blistering effort from Kevin Keena and then a double attempt from Nicky Horan, but there was little he could do about the magnificence of Clynch who added three superb points after the resumption.

Keena and Hackett (two each), Durnin, Fagan, Donoghue and substitute Derek Muldoon all added to Meath's interval tally while Quinn's error gave Mayo something to cheer about with their goal.

Kenny Feeney, Derek McConn, Derek McDonnell and four great efforts from Hunt completed Mayo's tally, but they were never seriously at the races and slumped to a heavier defeat than they would have expected when making the journey east.

Meath - S Quinn; M Foley, P Fagan (0-1), D Donoghue; B Coughlan, S Clynch (0-4), M Horan; J Boyle, S Donoghue (0-3); P Keogh, N Hackett (0-5, four frees, one '65'), P Garvey; P Durnin (0-2), N Horan (2-0), M Mullally. Subs - K Keena (0-2) for Mullally 21 mins, M Kelly for Boyle 34m, D Muldoon (0-1) for Durnin 57m, M Lynch for Coughlan 64m, C Burke for Foley 69m.

Mayo - N O Lonain; S Markham, C Ryan, S Morley; B Higgins, K McGrath, P Barrett; D McConn, N Murphy (0-2); R Cullinane, D Dowling (1-1), D Gallagher; S Hoban (0-3, frees), K Robinson, K Feeney (0-1). Subs - C Hynes for Gallagher 16 mins, D McDonnell (0-1) for Robinson 27m, S Hunt (0-4, two frees) for Feeney 50m, M Devanney for Cullinane 53m, B Hunt for Hoban 56m.

Referee - Gerard Devlin (Armagh).