Workmanlike Meath cruise past Laois

Meath........................................ 3-0-12 (21)

Laois ....................................0-1-8 (10)

FERGAL LYNCH

It was more workmanlike than spectacular for Meath at Ashbourne tonight as they secured their place in the knockout stages of the Leinster u-20 FC with a convincing victory over Laois.

Having blown away Carlow last week with a five goal salvo, Meath ambitions were tested marginally more, but once they got to grips around the breaking ball in the second-half they dominated a Laois side that lost their opening round game to Longford.

Victory for the Royals sets up a third round clash with Longford in Clonguish next Wednesday with the winner of that game advancing directly to the semi-finals while the losers must play a quarter-final the following week.

Playing against the breeze in the opening half, Meath were fluid and fast, but struggled to get their shots off and were put under pressure by a hungry middle third from Laois and a lively full-forward Ennae Byrne.

However, goals from Cormac O'Donoghue and Ben Corkery in the closing eight minutes of the opening period put Meath in the ascendancy and as Laois mis-fired after the break, Meath hit five points in the third quarter to open up a 2-9 to 0-7 lead and secure the win.

Stephen Cahill brought his excellent form from the win over Carlow into Ashbourne and opened the scoring after 90 seconds, but Laois quickly got to grips with the talented Dunsany man.

Cahill saw a fisted point attempt drop short into the net and after that Laois settled with Byrne restoring parity before Dylan Murphy blasted a goal chance over the bar.

Colin Scanlon was denied a goal by a good save from Cathal Tierney and after John Harkin (free) and Ultan Dunne traded points Laois were still one clear at the end of the opening quarter.

A brilliant run by O'Donoghue led to a point for the St Colmcille's man before Byrne landed another free to edge Laois ahead again.

Cormac Smith restored parity for the fourth time with a patient score and then an excellently worked move led to fine goal from O'Donoghue as Meath went 1-4 to 0-4 clear.

Laois got back on level terms for a fifth with corner-back Ben O'Connor kicking a two-pointer and Byrne landing another Byrne, after a harsh call against Paul Hennessy.

That parity lasted just three minutes as a brilliant jinky run by Corkery left the Laois defence bewildered and the Clann na nGael man rifled to the net to ensure a 2-4 to 0-7 interval lead for Meath.

Laois kicked four wides in the third quarter, but Meath kept the scoreboard ticking over with Corkery blasting over a goal chance, Cian Commons arrowing over from mid-range, O'Donoghue adding to his tally, Eoin McCrudden getting in on the act and Harkin kicking a free to make it 2-9 to 0-7.

Byrne opened Laois's second-half account with a free in the 52nd minute and Meath responded immediately with a third goal as substitutes Pat Crawley and Adam Ducie linked up before Crawley palmed to the net.

Hennessy made it 3-10 to 0-8 before Finn Moore was called into action to deny Byrne before Sean Betson cleared the danger.

On the counter Harkin stretched Meath's lead and although Moore was called into action to tip Conor O'Callaghan's strike over and Byrne closed Laois's account, Meath were still comfortable with Liam Jennings firing over the last score to set up next week's huge game against Longford.

Meath - Finn Moore; Cillian Yore, Sam Jordan, Shane Callaghan; Cormac Smith (0-1), Colin Scanlon, Kyle O'Brien; Michael McIvor, Paul Hennessey (0-1); Eoin McCrudden (0-1), John Harkin (0-3 two frees), Stephen Cahill (0-1); Ben Corkery (1-1), Cian Commons (0-1), Cormac O'Donoghue (1-2). Subs - Adam Ducie for Corkery 49m, Charlie Gallagher for Commons 50m, Pat Crawley (1-0) for O'Donoghue, Liam Jennings (0-1) for Cahill 52m, Sean Betson for Scanlon 54m.

Laois - Cathal Tierney; Ben O'Connor (0-2 two-pointer), Dan Boland, Fionn O'Sullivan; Hugo Emerson, Danny McGrath, Cathal Buggie; Robbie Murphy, Darren Brennan; Paddy Fitzpatrick, Eoin Johnson, David Donohue; Dylan Murphy (0-1), Ennae Byrne (0-5 three frees), Ultan Dunne (0-1). Subs - Jack Julian for Emerson 46m, James Dunne for O'Sullivan both 46m, Conor O'Callaghan (0-1) for Johnson 50m, Cormac Deegan for Dunne 54m, Tom O'Connell for Murphy 61m.

Referee - Ultan McElroy (Louth).