Meath far too strong as Laois U-20 footballers knocked out of Leinster Championship

The Laois U-20 footballers are out of this year's Leinster Championship after Meath beat them by 11 points in Wednesday evening's Round 2 clash in Donaghmore Ashbourne GAA Club.

Laois came into the game off the back of a defeat to Longford in Portlaoise last week and it essentially made this game a must-win. It wasn't to be for Laois and they'll play Carlow next week to see who finishes third and fourth, which can determine seedings for the Andrew Corden Cup.

It was Meath who got the game's first score as their number 12 Stephen Cahill split the posts. Laois hit the next two points without reply as Ennae Byrne and Dylan Murphy scored from play. Murphy's was probably half a goal chance as he had dropped the ball and struck it on the volley and with his soccer background, you might have been expecting the net to be rattled. However, the ball hit the top of his foot and went between the posts.

Laois goalkeeper Cathal Tierney was then forced into a great save as Meath centre-back Colin Scanlon found himself standing in front of Tierney. The next four points were shared as John Harkin (free) and Cormac O'Donoghue scored for Meath, while Ultan Dunne and Ennae Byrne (free) pointed for Laois. Dunne's effort came after David Donohue had taken a solo and go before playing a great ball inside to Dunne.

Meath, playing into a stiff breeze, went ahead soon after as Cormac Smyth pointed before Cormac Donoghue ran at the Laois defence and slotted the ball into the bottom corner. To Laois' credit, they got the three points back unanswered as Ben O'Connor slotted a two-pointer over and Byrne kicked a free after Ultan Dunne had been fouled.

The half ended with Meath getting a second goal after Ben Corkery went on a run before rattling the back of the Laois net. Meath led by three points at the break, 2-4 to 0-7.

Laois began the second half with four wides and Meath were having no such trouble in getting scores as they got five points in a row. Corkery, Cian Commons, O'Donoghue, Eoin McCadden and Eoin Harkin (free) after Laois had breached the three players up. Laois' first point of the second period didn't arrive until the 51st minute and by then, the game was well beyond them with seven points separating the sides.

The game was definitely over with the next score as Meath substitute Pat Crawley palmed the ball past Tierney. Paul Hennessy and Harkin added a point each for Meath as the game ticked towards the 60-minute mark. Conor O'Callaghan and Byrne added late points for Laois, with Liam Jennings getting the final score for Meath as the home side ran out 11-point winners.

Laois will welcome Carlow to Laois Hire O'Moore Park Portlaoise next Wednesday, April 8, in what will be a dead rubber essentially with Longford and Meath clashing to see who finishes top and and who finishes second.

Final Score 

Meath 3-12

Laois 0-10

MEATH: Finn Moore; Cillian Yore, Sam Jordan, Shane Callaghan; Cormac Smith, Colin Scanlon, Kyle O’Brien; Michael McIvor, Paul Hennessy; Eoin McCrudden, John Harkin, Stephen Cahill; Ben Corkery, Cian Commons, Cormac O’Donoghue. Subs: Adam Duche for Corkery (49 mins), Charlie Gallagher for Commons (51 mins), Liam Jennings for Cahill and Pat Crawley for O'Donoghue (52 mins), Sean Betson for Scanlon (54 mins)

Referee: Ultan McElroy (Louth)