Kerry earn first win of league against Meath

Kerry talisman Shane Conway was to the fore with 1-09 as the Kingdom secured their first victory of the Allianz Hurling League Division 2A season on a 3-14 to 0-16 scoreline against Meath in a winter-like Austin Stack Park this afternoon.

After being level on seven separate occasions in the opening half, Kerry took a one-point lead into half-time before goals from Michael Leane, Conway, and Dan Goggin proved to be the difference for a determined Kingdom side during a superb second half display for the hosts in Tralee.

While Conway top-scored for the winners with 1-09, seven of which were frees, Padraig O'Hanrahan impressed for Meath with 0-08, keeping the Royal County in touching distance until two late Kerry goals secured the win for Stephen Molumphy’s charges.

Meath opened the scoring with a point from Nicholas Potterton with Kerry hitting back straight away with a free from Shane Conway – his first of seven and a sign of things to come.

While the visitors slipped back into the lead with a James Murray point, they failed to take goal chances as the Kerry defence put in some last-ditch blocks and tackles to deny James Kelly, and Potterton, all during a 12-minute opening period when the Kingdom hit six wides.

With Kerry talisman Shane Conway, who returned after injury, to the fore for the Kingdom with five points in the opening half, both sides were level six more times before a late Maurice O’Connor point gave Molumphy’s men the narrowest of leads into the half-time break, despite recording 11 wides in the first 35 minutes.

A must-win game if Kerry were to have a chance of making the play-offs, the hosts went more direct than usual in the opening half, using the strong winter-like breeze and the 6ft 2″ height of Michael Leane