Tipperary left Meath out in the cold as they powered to an emphatic 2-15 to 1-10 victory at Thurles.

Liam Kearns' men were full value for their eight-point success as they moved up to second place on the table overnight and left the Royal County's promotion hopes in tatters.

With just 1,291 in attendance, Bill Maher's 46^th-minute finish low to the Meath net steadied the Premier County after the losers had started the second half purposefully to close within three points. Leading by 2-8 to 0-8 following the Kilsheelan-Kilcash clubman's three-pointer, the home team cruised across the winning line, despite a late Bryan Menton major for Andy McEntee's disappointing side.

Michael Quinlivan's superb goal to the roof of the net with the last kick of the first half sent the victors in with a commanding 1-8 to 0-5 lead at the break. Points from Padraig McKeever and Sean Tobin had the Royals on terms at 0-4 apiece after 14 minutes but the excellent Conor Sweeney (2), Quinlivan and Liam Casey made it double scores before Quinlivan replied with interest to a James McEntee point.

McKeever (free), McEntee and Reilly all pointed inside a minute for Meath at the start of the second half as they closed within a goal but Maher then slid the ball past Andrew Colgan to finish the game as a contest. Three Sweeney points and one from midfielder Steven O'Brien made it 2-12 to 0-9 with less than ten minutes remaining.

Menton smashed in Meath's goal on 63 minutes but there is little about tonight that the travelling party will remember with much fondness.

Tipperary - E Comerford; A Campbell, S O'Connell, K Fahey; J Meagher, R Kiely, J Feehan; L Casey (0-1), S O'Brien (0-1); B Fox, J Keane (0-1), B Maher (1-0); C Sweeney (0-9, 5f), Michael Quinlivan (1-1), L McGrath (0-1). Subs: P Codd for S O'Connell, L Boland for K Fahey, G Hannigan for S O'Brien, S Carey (0-1) for L McGrath.

Meath - A Colgan; S Lavin, C McGill, D Keogan; D O'Neill, M Burke, S McEntee; B Menton (1-0), H Rooney; J McEntee (0-2), G Reilly (0-2), E Wallace; S Tobin (0-1), P McKeever (0-4f), C O'Sullivan. Subs: B Power for D O'Neill, B McMahon for S Tobin, D Lenihan for C O'Sullivan, A Flanagan for H Rooney, T O'Reilly (0-1) for P McKeever, B Conlon for S McEntee.

Referee - N Cullen.

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