What have Neil Young’s classic 1972 album Heart of Gold, the 1982 hit Save Your Love by Renee & Renato and the North Meath senior men’s results in Leinster League 3 all got in common? They are all perfect records.

North Meath continued their unblemished scoresheet in the Leinster league with a bonus point win in Clane. However, the victory came at a cost with some more players added to the injury list.

It was a sluggish start for the Meath men and it was no surprise when Clane opened the scoring with a try under the posts.

North Meath hit back with a try of their own from Andy Dowds to make it 7-5.

But it was not until the 20 minute mark that the expansive rugby that has defined North Meath so far this season eventually showed itself.

Fly-half Ben Wiseman decided to run the ball from inside the 22 and Eanna Finn broke free and ran into the Clane half before feeding Jordan Hering on the wing.

His crossfield chip was gathered by Cian Doogan and it was Dowds that eventually touched down for his and North Meath second score of the day.

Dowds completed his hatrick on the last play of the first half. A pack of North Meath forwards trundled their way over the line and it was Dowds that emerged with the ball.

In the second half, North Meath dominated possession as the home side tired. Eanna Finn secured the bonus point when he broke loose from a ruck to go under the posts.

By now, the size of North Meath’s squad was beginning to tell as replacement scrum-half Nathan Kiernan added some zip to the team’s play while Patrick Farnan and Theo Chamberlayne Daye put in some powerful runs in the loose.

Winger Ruben Mostert then scored a fifth try in the final stages with an unstoppable run to the line from inside the 22.

Alongside the try-scorers, there were also notable performances from Ciaran Cullen, Killian Flanagan and Sean Gilsenan.

With the league close to the halfway point, North Meath sit at the summit with a healthy lead. The only concern at this point, with Ivan Mostert and Cailum Kiernan suffering knocks, is that the injury list gets no longer.

Next up for North Meath is an away fixture to Ratoath in early November, by which point all the teams in the Leinster League would have played each other at least once. And North Meath will be hoping to keep that unblemished record going for a little while longer.

Meanwhile, there will be a chance for the players and supporters to raise much needed money for the squad’s injury fund this Friday at a Halloween table quiz at the Sheeney in Kells. Proceedings start at 9.00.

Team: Sean Moriaty, Ruben Mostert, Cian Doogan, Eanna Finn, Ivan Mostert, Ben Wiseman, Conor Grey, Andrew Dowds, Killian Flanagan, Sean Gilsenan, Ciaran Cullen, Denis Canon, Cailum Kiernan, Senan McDermott, Andrew Dowds

Replacements: Sam Bashford, Curtis Hunter, Nathan Kiernan, Andrew Monaghan, Patrick Farnan, Jordan Hering, Theo Chamberlayne Daye, Eoghan Cosgrave

Tries: Dowds (3), Finn, Mostert R

Cons: Wiseman (2) Grey (2)