Goal-hungry Meath hold off resilient Clare

Meath used goals once again as their battering ram to victory in Division 2, overcoming Munster opposition for the second weekend running to keep Colm O'Rourke's unbeaten start to 2023 intact.

Conceding 16 points will concern the new Royal County manager but with four goals in the debit column - scored by Donal Lenihan, 2, Jordan Morris and Jason Scully - the hosts made it two wins from two after hitting Cork for three goals last weekend.

Three of Meath's goals arrived inside the opening 18 minutes this time, meaning they led for virtually all of the game though it wasn't the complete performance from O'Rourke's new look team.

Twice they conceded five points in a row to Colm Collins' injury-depleted side who were unable to follow up their own opening day win over Louth with another success.

But the positives will outweigh any difficulties Meath experienced with O'Rourke sure to be delighted with four points from a possible four ahead of their Round 3 trip to face Ulster champions Derry. Clare will be at home next when they take on Kildare in Ennis.

They may struggle to get their heads around this game with those two separate bursts of five points in a row coming after twice falling nine points behind.

O'Rourke changed almost a third of his Meath team from the Pairc Ui Chaoimh win with starts for Adam O'Neill, Harry O'Higgins and Jack O'Connor in defence, along with Lenihan in attack.

There were three changes for Clare too from the side that stole a dramatic one-point win over Louth last weekend.

Those were all enforced switches with Darren O'Neill (thumb), captain Eoin Cleary (sickness) and Keelan Sexton (hamstring) replaced by Darragh Bohannon, Ciaran Downes and Gavin Cooney.

Wolfe Tones man O'Neill fared strongly on his full