Derry exit All-Ireland SFC at the hands of Meath

Derry's Championship campaign came to a painful end at Celtic Park as they were beaten 1-24 to 1-20 by Meath in a dramatic Round 2B clash, a result that confirmed their elimination from the All-Ireland race.

It is another major setback in a difficult season for the Oak Leafers, who entered the Championship with high expectations after winning the National League Division One title in 2024 and being viewed as serious Ulster contenders.

Instead, Ciaran Meenagh's side exit after successive Championship defeats, having already lost to Armagh in round one and previously fallen to Monaghan after extra-time in a chaotic Ulster semi-final where they had led by 11 points in normal time.

Derry began brightly on home soil, with James Sargent converting from a 45 and later scoring a superb goal on his first Championship start, while Lachlan Murray and Shane McGuigan also contributed key scores.

However, Meath repeatedly punished Derry's defensive lapses and turnovers, with Donal Keogan's early goal and James Conlon's constant scoring threat keeping the Royals in control during key periods.

Even when Derry fought back to level the match at half-time (1-9 apiece), they were unable to build sustained momentum, with Meath's two-point scoring from distance proving decisive.

The second half saw further disruption, with both teams temporarily reduced to 13 men after two black cards were shown to each team, but Derry struggled to capitalise on key moments despite staying in touch throughout.

A defining passage came midway through the second half when Gareth McKinless was denied by a superb Sean Brennan save, with Derry also missing the follow-up 45, a turning point they would come to regret.

Late scores from Murray and McGuigan kept hopes alive, but Meath finished stronger, with substitute Killian Smyth landing a crucial score to push the gap beyond reach.

Derry bow out of the Championship at the Round 2B stage, with another season of promise ending in disappointment and questions over their inability to turn dominance into results in tight knockout games.

The Royals advance to Round three, where they will meet one of the Round 2A losers.