Tempers frayed as Meath march on to semi-finals

Goals in the opening and closing seconds of tonight's pulsating Leinster u-20 FC quarter-final proved decisive for Meath as they got the better of Laois by 4-8 to 1-10 in Ashbourne.

The game turned hostile in the closing stages with Meath's Conor McWeeney singled out for a red card following a 63rd minute melee that involved up to 20 players.

Moments later Laois were reduced to 14 players when Cormac Murphy was black carded, but it got even worse well after the final whistle as something sparked another row as the players mingled offering congratulations and commiserations.

Players and officials became embroiled in several different battles before calm was eventually restored and the Laois players left the field.

Something was obviously said from the stand to the Laois players as they headed for the dressing rooms and that prompted an angry response, but the Donaghmore/Ashbourne stewards were on hand to restore calm again.

Most of the crowd had gone home by the time the Meath players left the field after a prolonged debriefing from management and they were greeted by warm applause from the few that remained.

Prior to that messy conclusion there was actually quite an entertaining game of football.

The quality waasn't of the highest order as both sides were guilty of missed placed passing and sloppy turnovers, but the entertainment was decent with Meath's more clinical finishing proving the difference.

Barely 11 seconds had passed before Jamie Murphy fired the opening goal for Meath after he gathered John O'Regan's long ball and finished superbly.

Cian Commons added a point five minutes later and it looked set to be a comfortable evening for Meath.

Points from Jamie O'Brien (free) and Cormac Murphy either side of a Jamie Murphy free for Meath sustained Laois's challenge, but when Jamie Murphy pounced again in the 13th minute, after Jake Darcy's slip, he fired his second goal, via a deflection off Conor Raggett, to make it 2-2 to 0-2.

Then Meath became sloppy and ragged.

Laois countered with points from Johan Kelly and Cormac Murphy (free) before Conor Duke replied with a fine point for the Royals.

However, two poor kickouts from Oisin McDermott offered Laois a way back into the game.

The first stray restart was gathered by O'Brien and he picked out Kelly for a fine goal. From the next kickout Cormac Murphy won the ball and was fouled. O'Brien converted the free and all of a sudden Laois were just one behind 1-5 to 2-3, five minutes before the break.

Meath welcomed the half-time whistle after Brian O'Halloran had lofted over a brilliant score to make it 2-4 to 1-5 at the interval.

Laois closed that gap back to the minimum within 90 seconds of the restart with Cian Nolan on target. Jamie Murphy replied for Meath, but points from Byrne and O'Brien (free) had Laois level, 1-8 to 2-5, by the 38th minute.

Hughie Corcoran marked his introduction with a converted free, but Laois continued to pounce on Meath errors as Byrne pointed from a narrow angle. The O'Moore side hit the front in the 47th minute when Cormac Murphy pointed a free, but that proved to be his side's last score as Meath took control.

An awful kickout from Conor Brown was gathered by Rian McConnell and he raced through to bury Meath's third goal and restore his side's lead.

Corcoran landed another free and McWeeney fisted a point on the stroke of the hour to make it 3-8 to 1-10.

Tempers then began to fray. McWeeney saw red and Cormac Murphy was black carded for Laois before Meath forced another turnover.

Eamonn Armstrong linked up with Jamie Murphy before firing his side's fourth goal with the last kick of the game.

Victory sets up a semi-final showdown with Kildare in Hawkfield next Tuesday night.

Meath - Oisín McDermott (Ballinlough); Brian O’Halloran (Ballivor 0-1), Liam Kelly (Ratoath), Sean O’Hare (Rathkenny); Eamonn Armstrong (Duleek-Bellewstown 1-0), John O’Regan (Skryne), Killian Smyth (Castletown); Jack Kinlough (St Peter's), Charlie O’Connor (Dunshaughlin); Shaun Leonard (St Colmcille's), John Harkin (St Peter's), Conor Duke (Dunshaughlin (0-1); Jamie Murphy (St Patrick's 2-2 one free), Cian Commons (Seneschalstown 0-1), Rian McConnell (Castletown 1-0). Subs - Conor McWeeney (Kilbride 0-1) for Commons 16m, Hughie Corcoran (Drumbaragh 0-2 frees) for Harkin half-time, Conor Ennis (Ballinabrackey) for Smyth 38m, Tadhg Martyn (Slane) for Leonard 44m, John Finnerty (Skryne) for O'Halloran 45m, Sean Emmanuel (St Patrick's) for O'Connor 60m.

Laois - Conor Brown; Daragh Loughman, Conor Raggett, Jake Darcy; Cormac Murphy (0-3 two frees), John Brennan, Darragh Slevin; Colin McEvoy, Killian Byrne; Rory Lalor, Cillian Maher, Cian Nolan (0-1); Jack Byrne (0-2), Jonah Kelly (1-1), Jamie O'Brien (0-3 frees). Subs - Ethan Druary for Nolan 41m, Adam Hunt for O'Brien 45m, Cathal Lee for McEvoy, Jeremy Kelly for Byrne both 56m, Jamie Conway for Raggett 60m.

Referee - Fintan Pierce (Offaly).