Cortown 0-12 Meath Hill 0-18

Despite a battling second half display, Cortown couldn't quite claw their way back as they went down to high-flying Meath Hill in the opening round of the Premier Championship.

Played in between big downpours, it was the in-form visitors who made the fast start registering the first 4 scores of the contest. It looks like it would be a precession at this stage but Cortown settled with a really well worked score as Jockey Luke Carberry slipped a lovely ball down the backstraight into King Punter Tommy Smith who fired over. Cortown would narrow the deficit to one soon after when Ryan O'Rourke would point a couple of quickfire frees after fouls on Ryan Henry and the 'Wanderer' Conor Mulroe.

It spurred the youthful Meath Hill into life and they would kick another sequence of 4 points on the trot before Johnny McGearty would again reduce the arrears with a long range free from the carpet. However for the third time in the half remarkable Meath Hill hit the next 4 points on the spin to establish a comfortable half time lead, 0-12 to 0-4.

A stirring half time team talk from Trevor Coyne and Co. got the desired response as Mulroe cut through the heart of the Meath Hill defence before surprisingly electing to shoot and score. O'Rourke playing closer to goals, would be tumbled over prior to him pointing his third free of the evening. Cortown were now at it and Henry would continue the positive momentum as he beautifully crept the ball inside the right hand upright. Henry would double his tally soon after, this time from a free after some trojan work from his cousin, Big Odhran.

The gap was down to 6 and the hosts very much had the impetus and the marauding Mikey Rennicks somehow managed to scoop the ball over the bar following more impressive work from Odhran Henry. The pressure of the Cortown troops which simply wasn't there in the first half managed to yield a free and O'Rourke duly converting to astonishingly make it a 4 point game.

The visitors did finally awaken from their slumber and ought to have ended the contest when they caught Cortown napping but found an inspired Jack Finnegan in their way with the net minder making 3 top class saves to maintain his clean sheet.

Tomas Smith off the bench, did make it a 5 point game before King of the Sheep,  Kevin Muldoon curled over a monster score off the upright. Despite several half chances, Cortown could not muster the goal chance that they craved to make it a grand stand finish. Meath Hill hit an insurance score before O'Rourke acrobatically recovered from his initial effort hitting the woodwork to close out the scoring.

Although beaten, Trevor Coyne will be delighted with the application and effort of his soldiers who showed terrific character in the face of adversity. Jack Finnegan produced a man of the match performance between the sticks with good showings from Daragh Smith and Ivor O'Halloran too.

Cortown: Jack Finnegan, Daragh Smith, John McGearty (0-1f), Declan Clarke, Mickey Costello, Mikey Rennicks (0-1), Luke Carberry, Declan Clarke, Odhran Henry, Kevin Muldoon (0-1), Ryan O'Rourke (0-5,4fs), Ivor O'Halloran, Conor Mulroe (0-1), Tommy Smith (0-1), Ryan Henry (0-2,1f)

Sub: Myles Clarke for D Clarke.

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