Bective travelled to Drumconrath for this winner take all clash with Meath Hill on a drizzly Sunday afternoon. Bective got off to the perfect start when Ciaran Mc Connell caught the throw in and fisted to Mathew Cully who passed to Declan McGuinness and he released to Donagh Garvey on a sprint towards goal. Garvey was hauled down in the square and a penalty given before the game was 30 seconds old. Sean Keating cooly dispatched to the corner of the net. Meath Hill worked their short kick out well and carried the ball inside the Bective 20m line but the Bective backs turned over and started their own attack and Mc Connell found Marty Mulhall who he was dragged down but his free kick attempt went wide on 4 minutes. Bective loose a man to a black card on 7 minutes and Meath Hill capitalised with a cross field ball and a pointed free kick on 8 minutes. Bective had a good turn-over for overcarrying inside their 20m line near the sideline but the resulting free kick was delivered back to the 13m line and then across into the danger area inside the square where a Bective back was forced to release the ball and Meath Hill got their first of 3 goals on 8 minutes. Tristan O’Neill charged forward for Bective and was fouled but the free kick went wide. Both teams defended adequately in the slippery conditions and Bective spilled some long early ball inside the Meath Hill 20m line. Kevin Brennan was brought on as a blood sub for O’Neill. Meath Hill showed more championship intensity and pointed from play on 17 minutes as gaps started to appear in the Bective defence and they added their second goal from a one-on-one situation and 4 more points before Bective pulled one back from a well worked point from Marty Mulhall on 29 minutes. Meath Hill 2 – 7, Bective 1 – 1.
Bective brought in Mark O’Brien and Luke Heneghan and Kevin Brennan is brought back on upon throw in as a blood sub for Garvey. But things got worse for Bective as Meath Hill found space to carry the ball into the Bective square and a penalty was awarded for a drag down. Meath Hill goalie took the kick and dispatched the ball to the net on 3 minutes. Meath Hill mopped up the loose ball in the middle third but Tristan O’Neill, probably Bective’s best performer, showed plenty of spirit and was hauled down and Con Smith pointed from 47m. Meath Hill looked in control and added 2 points before Smith pointed two more free kicks in the 13th and 14th minutes. Mark Dowdall came in for Bective. Smith scored two more free kicks but Meath Hill scored four more points as Bective loose another player to a black card. Mc Connell, now at full forward, foraged hard and was fouled and Smith converted with the left boot on 19 minutes. Meath Hill fired over two more points and Smith pointed again from a free kick on 23 minutes. Colm Barry came in for Bective but Meath Hill coast on with 3 more points. Garvey carried the ball into the square but was outnumbered and lost the ball before Sean Keating pointed on 32 minutes to complete the scoring.
Bective now take on Oldcastle in their first relegation game .
Bective Team: Scott O’Sullivan, Ben Malone, Craig Roche, Jarlath Brennan, Jack Grant, Finn Murray, Neil Dowdall, Ciaran Mc Connell, Declan McGuinness, Mathew Cully, Tristan O’Neill, Con Smith, Marty Mulhall, Sean Keating and Donagh Garvey.
