All-Ireland SFC Round 2B: Derry 1-20 Meath 1-24Meath were highly impressive as they booked their place in Round 3 of the All-Ireland series by defeating Derry by four points at Celtic Park.Robbie Brennan’s side breathed life back into their stuttering season, producing an outstanding second half to carve out a well-earned win over a limited Derry side that battled to the bitter end.Starved of possession and completely wiped out at kick-out time, Derry could thank their economy in front of the posts as the two teams ran in 1-9 apiece at half-time.With the gun to their temples the contest fizzled with real championship intensity from the second Dan Higgins won the opening throw-in. Meath drew first blood when Donal Keogan rounded Derry goalkeeper Shea McGuckin and slid the ball into the back of the net for a nerve-settling goal.James Sargent marked his first start in a Derry shirt when he fired over his side’s opening score which was quickly followed by a point from Shane McGuigan.Jack Flynn nailed the first two pointer of the evening which was quickly followed up by another two pointer from Bryan Menton as Meath led 1-5 to 0-4.Despite struggling to win any aerial ball Derry accounted for the next three points, with Sargent again among the scorers.The visitors, controlling vast swathes of game, notched four consecutive scores which included an eye-catching James Conlon brace.Plagued by far too many wides, Meath still held a 1-9 to 1-6 advantage after half an hour.But again, in a match full of cut and thrust, the home side swung back into life. Late first-half points from Eoin McEvoy, Ruairí Forbes and young Sargent levelled matters at the break.Derry’s James Sargent on his way to scoring a goal despite Meath’s Jack Flynn. Photograph: Lorcan Doherty/Inpho Black cards for Cian McBride and Ronan Ryan (Meath), and Conor Doherty and Gareth McKinless (Derry) for a half-time melee heralded the start of second-half hostilities.A two pointer from goalkeeper Seán Brennan was the key score as the Royals enjoyed the better restart.A Shane McGuigan clinker pulled the sides level at 1-14 after 45 minutes before Meath opened a three-point gap that they never looked like relinquishing.Player of the match James Conlon (0-7) was their little magician, weaving spells all over Celtic Park and landing points at his leisure.Mathew Costello’s second point handed his side a 1-20 to 1-15 lead with 10 minutes to go. Two pointers from Lachlan Murray and Shane McGuigan kept Derry on Meath’s coat-tails but Meath revved up the engines for the home straight and would not be denied.All but dismantling Derry at kick-outs, Meath attacked with a more serrated edge and moved their scoreboard forward at regular intervals with Keogan, substitute Killian Smyth and Eoghan Frayne all finding important points.The winners controlled the dying embers of the contest to run out convincing victors as the sun set quickly on both Celtic Park and Derry’s season.DERRY: S McGuckin; P McGrogan, B Rogers (0-0-2), C McCluskey; C Doherty, G McKinless (0-0-1), E McEvoy (0-0-3); C Glass, D Higgins; E Doherty, J Sargent (1-0-2, 1f), R Forbes (0-0-2); P Cassidy, S McGuigan (0-1-3), L Murray (0-1-2).Subs: N Loughlin for C Glass, D Baker for P Cassidy (both h-t); N O’Donnell for D Higgins (55); S Young for R Forbes (57); C Higgins (0-0-1) for D Baker, C Hickey for J O’Connor (both 61).MEATH: S Brennan (0-1-0, tpf); S Lavin, S Rafferty, R Ryan; D Keogan (1-0-2), B Menton (0-1-1), S Coffey; J Flynn (0-1-1), J O’Connor; C McBride (0-0-1), M Costello (0-0-2), C Caulfield; J Morris (0-0-2), J Conlon (0-0-7), E Frayne (0-0-1, f).Subs: K Smyth (0-0-1) for R Ryan (46 mins); C O’Connor for B Menton (55); K Curtis for J Conlon (66).Referee: S Hurson (Tyrone).