At a glance

Man of the Match (Cathal Cregg): On the Meath side Cian Ward was the obvious candidate as he was a thorn in the Roscommon side all through. Other ‘Royals’ to do well were Caoimhin King Stephen Bray and Mark Ward.   For Roscommon Paddy O’Connor was in top class form at corner-back while Frankie Dolan and David O’Gara were excellent in the second half and Mark O’Carroll and Johnny Dunning were also very prominent – however there is only one clear choice that anyone could make and that is Cathal Cregg. All I want to say is that as a Roscommon supporter I want Cathal to stay fit and healthly for the next ten years because I am looking forward to watching him play football! He was fantastic on Sunday last and long may he continue to thrill us. Weather watch: Couldn’t be much better. Hazy sunshine and no breeze. A little on the cool side but perfect for football on what was a fantastic surface in Kiltoom. Crowd watch: About 3,000 people packed into Kiltoom and they generated a wonderful atmosphere. There were plenty of Meath supporters too and even though there were great parking facilities, some people who were not aware of that had to walk a long way to get in and out. Entertainment value: Top class. This was a game of football that warmed the heart. Great scores, drama from start to finish and bravery from two fiercely committed teams and a super atmosphere too. It will be hard to beat this one as the year progresses. Referee watch: Jimmy White of Donegal was a controversial figure throughout and he angered the home supporters with a string of baffling decisions. Two against Cathal Cregg in the second half beggared belief.