Magnificent Meath win at O'Moore Park

Meath showed great character at O'Moore Park last night as they secured a vital brace of NFL Div 2 points with a 0-15 to 1-10 victory over hosts Laois only six days after an equally impressive display against Donegal in Ballybofey.

The victory was all the more noteworthy as Meath trailed by 0-5 to 1-7 at the interval after making a positive start with points from Shane O'Rourke and Andrew Tormey.

Further points from Michael Newman (two) and O'Rourke completed the first-half tally, but a Ross Munnelly penalty goal helped Laois forge clear. 

Early second-half points from O'Rourke and Newman (two each) got Meath off to a positive start for the second-half.

Meath maintained the momentum and Bryan McMahon and Newman (two) split the Laois posts which tied the scores at 0-12 to 1-9 before Menton and substitutes David Bray and Graham Reilly added points for victory.

Meath now have a well-earned break before they return to Navan on Saturday 29th March to tackle Down.

However, u-21 players Bryan McMahon and Padraic Harnan will be in action at Parnell Park in the Leinster u-21 FC semi-final against Offaly on Wednesday night next.

Meath - Paddy O'Rourke; Mickey Burke, Kevin Reilly, Eoghan Harrington; Sean Curran, Donal Keogan, Damien Carroll; Bryan Menton (0-1), Shane O'Rourke (0-4); Donncha Tobin, Dalton McDonagh, Andrew Tormey (0-1); Bryan McMahon (0-1), Stephen Bray, Michael Newman (0-6).

Subs - David Bray (0-1) for McDonagh, Padraic Harnan for Curran, Graham Reilly (0-1) for Tobin.

Goalkeeper Paddy O'Rourke (see action photo) tweeted: 

The strength of our character & never say die attitude was really on show 2night! Massive week in our season, 3points on the road!

NFL DIV 2 TABLE

Donegal     4 3  1  0 76 49 7

Monaghan  5 3 1 1 84 61 7

Down         4 2 1 1 63 49 5

Armagh      5 2 1 2 80 80 5

Meath        5 2 1 2  81 90 5

Laois         5 2 0 3  77 83 4

Galway      4 1  0 3 58 77 2

Louth        4 0 1 3 48 78 1

REMAINING FIXTURES

Today - Down v Donegal; Louth v Galway.

29th March - Meath v Down.

30th March - Donegal v Louth; GHalway v Armagh; Monaghan v Laois.

5th April - Louth v Meath; Laois v Down; Armagh v Donegal; Monaghan v Galway.

Conall Collier