Meath and Louth draw

Meath and Louth played out a thrilling draw in Navan tonight in the O'Byrne Cup (1-8 to 0-11) in front of an estimated 2,500 supporters. After missing the opening game of 2013 last Sunday through illness Conor Gillespie returned to the Meath midfield tonight for the O'Byrne Cup clash against Louth. Meath laboured to find scores in the opening half and were 0-2 to 0-8 adrift at the interval as Louth dictated comfortably with Joe Sheridan and Damien Carroll accounting for Meath's points. Meath improved after the resumption and can have no complaints as they missed a penalty (Damien Carroll) and then found the net through Paddy Gilsenan. The second-half points were from Sean Curran and Stephen Crosby (two each), a Paddy O'Rourke '45' and Carroll. The game was postponed on Wednesday night due to fog in Navan and was promptly rescheduled. Click on link for some action from the game http://youtu.be/lwunxlf8I8g If Meath beat UCD on Sunday and Longford beat Louth Meath will qualify, but if both Meath and Louth win it will be score difference, if Meath and Louth lose Longford will qualify. Meath - Paddy O Rourke (Skryne); David Dalton (Summerhill), Caoimhín King (Dunshaughlin), Sean Curran (Donaghmore/Ashbourne); Cormac Rowe (Syddan), Eoghan Harrington (Wolfe Tones), Stephen Crosby (Drumconrath); Conor Gillespie (Summerhill), Joe Sheridan ( Seneschalstown); Mark Collins (Duleek/Bellewstown), Damien Carroll ( Ballinabrackey), Darragh Mc Namarra ( Drumbaragh); Dalton Mc Donagh ( Na Fianna), Peadar Byrne ( Ballinlough), Brian Sheridan ( Seneschalstown). Subs - Paddy Gilsenan (Oldcastle) for McNamara, Brian Meade (Rathkenny) for Collins, Sean Tobin (Simonstown) for B Sheridan, Caolan Young (Summerhill) for Dalton, David Bray (Navan O'Mahonys) for McDonagh.