Meath see off Laois in Leinster MFC

Meath advanced to the quarter-finals of the Leinster MFC as they came from behind with a late surge to get the better of hosts Laois by 0-11 to 1-6 at O'Moore Park yesterday.

Both sides showed plenty of nerves in the opening stages as they struggled to cope with the swirling wind which more favoured Laois in the first-half.
The hosts did go ahead in the sixth minute from a close-range Alan Kinsella free, but an example of the difficulties caused by the wind was that a 43-metre free from Scully 10 minutes later fell short and on the counter-attack Laois scored their wonder goal as Kelly ran half the length of the pitch, shrugged off a couple of half-hearted attempted tackles before unleashing a fierce drive beyond Adam McDermott to make it 1-1 to 0-0.
That goal seemed to do more to settle Meath’s nerves than it did Laois’ as the visitors responded impressively.
Campion was denied a goal after a fine run by a brilliant save, but Eanna Mooney followed up to tap over Meath’s first score and by the 20th minute they had the deficit down to one as Scully converted a free and Devine pointed superbly after winning the subsequent kickout.
Good defending prevented a second Laois goal, but Adam Deering settled them with a point before Peter Kealy lofted over a huge score to secure a 1-3 to 0-3 interval lead for Laois.
Laois looked to have taken a stranglehold on the game when they responded to Mooney’s quick point with two scores from Kinsella (one free) to open up a 1-5 to 0-4 lead in the 37th minutes, but they managed just one further score as Meath took control.
Eoin Smith launched the recovery with a massive score and when Campion and Scully added points Meath had the deficit down to 0-7 to 1-5 by the end of the third quarter.
Devine converted a 48-metre free which had been moved up after Robert Tyrell had kicked the ball away to restore parity, but in the 50th minute a simple 13-metre free from Kinsella restored Laois’s lead.
Substitute Adam Murphy galloped forward to level matters again five minutes later and when Scully converted a free in the 57th minute it pushed Meath into the lead for the first time.
Laois did create a couple of decent chances to draw level, but a combination of great defending and wayward shooting cost them as Scully converted a '45’ after Ross McGrath had carelessly punched Conor Cullen’s short point attempt out over the end line to ensure Meath advanced, while Laois must go through the back door.

Meath - Adam McDermott (Dunshaughlin); Robbie Clarke (Skryne), Conor Harnan (Moynalvey), Brian O’Reilly (Moynalvey); James Cassidy (Moynalty), Eanna O’Kelly-Lynch (Wolfe Tones), Sean Reilly (Moylagh); Daragh Campion (Skryne 0-1), Ethan Devine (Na Fianna 0-2 one free); Eanna Mooney (Slane 0-2), Cian O’Reilly (Carnaross), Eoin Smith (Skryne 0-1); James Conlon (St Colmcille’s), Frank O’Reilly (Carnaross), Jason Scully (Oldcastle 0-4 two frees, one '45’). Subs - Conor O’Byrne (St Colmcille’s) for F O’Reilly 43 mins, Morgan Callaghan (Ballivor) for Devine 48m, Adam Murphy (Moynalvey 0-1) for Cassidy 50m, Conor Cullen (Walterstown) for S Reilly 56m, Kevin Gilsenan (St Brigid’s) for Smith 57m, Daragh Nolan (Dunboyne) for Mooney 59m.