Bective travelled to Meath Hill for this opening Div. 2A league game on a fine dry Saturday afternoon. Meath Hill grounds were looking great with their new walking track, pitch side fence and new dugouts. After two months of intense preparation and good numbers training hopes were high that the Bective team would give a good account of themselves. However, Meath Hill made all the early running and scored from play in the 2nd, 4th, 14th, 16th and 20th minutes with two converted free kicks also contributing to their 7 points to no score lead before Mark O’Brien pointed from a mark on 22 minutes for Bective. Attempts at early ball into the scoring zone were mopped up by a hard running Meath Hill side who managed the ball well and kept Bective on the back foot and found sufficient space to score inside the Bective D. Bective backs worked hardest to stem the tide with Finn Murray again impressing, but the ball was frequently turned over in the midfield and forward zone and Meath Hill added a further point from play to lead by 7 points at half time.
Bective moved Donagh Garvey to midfield and he created some swift attacks through the middle and Marty Mulhall pointed from a free kick on 5 minutes. Tristan O’Neill came into the forward line and helped create some opportunities. Meath Hill responded with a point from play on 6 minutes. Mulhall pointed a 45 on 13 minutes and Meath Hill pointed from play on 15 minutes and from a free kick on 20 minutes. Ciaran Casey and Eanna Reilly came on for Bective and provided fresh legs and Pat O’Sullivan came into the forward line and used his experience to good effect to hold possession through tight tackling. Paul McCabe pointed from a free kick on 25 minutes. As he had been threatening Donagh Garvey linked with the attack and got inside the Meath Hill cover and blasted to the net on 30 minutes. This proved to be the one bright light for Bective but Meath Hill closed the scoring with a further point from play on 32 minutes.
Bective will need to work on gaining primary possession and effective foot passing if their league aspirations are to be realised.
Meath Hill 0 – 12, Bective 1 – 4.
Bective team: Scott O’Sullivan, Jack Grant, Jarlath Brennan, Ben Malone, Paul Mc Cabe, Donagh Garvey, Finn Murray, Mathew Cully, Declan McGuinness, Neil Dowdall, Paul Lyness, Chris McGurn, Mary Mulhall, Mark O’Brien and Michael Lyness. Subs Pauric Mc Connell, Simon Finn.
