Meath booked an ESB Leinster MHC quarter-final meeting away to Carlow on Saturday by holding out for a surprise win against Laois in this re-fixed first round tie at Clane on Tuesday evening. Meath ...... 0-13 Laois .......... 1-7 The original fixture didn't go ahead last Saturday week when both sides arrived at different Meath venues, but Paul Reilly's charges put the loss of home advantage behind them to record a memorable success against Laois, who had come through a tougher qualifying section. Extra time was looming when Laois full-forward Neil Foyle faced up to a 30 metre free from a favourable position with the hour almost up. However the young Borris in Ossory player sent the sliotar narrowly wide. Then in the five additional minutes - mainly due to a shoulder injury to Meath's Brendan Murray incurred in an accidental collision with a team mate in the latter stages of keen contest - the boys in green and gold added points from Thomas Meyler and outstanding full-back Shane Troy (free). There was some controversy about Meyler's point - a fine effort from out on the left in the second minute of stoppage time - as one umpire appeared to wave it wide before being overuled by his colleague at the Laois goal and referee Ciaran Groome. That score atoned for an earlier miss by the Dunboyne clubman when he failed to get a good connection on a 20-metre free that would have left it 0-12 to 1-7 after 46 mins. Things didn't look good for Meath when they led by just four points 0-10 to 1-3 at half-time having played with a stiff breeze in the opening period. The margin was down to the minimum, 1-7 to 0-11, by the 44th minute when Neil Foyle pointed from play after corner-back James Corrigan made a strong run, unchallenged, through the middle. But Laois failed to register thereafter, but hit seven second-half wides - many when pressurised by Meath defenders. Goalkeeper Tommy Quinn also pitched in to save brilliantly from Neil Foyle in the final minute of stoppage time. That save atoned for a first-half error when he failed to advance on a long delivery from Colm Kavanagh and T. J. Lalor flicked the sliotar to the Meath net to tie the scores at 1-0 to 0-3 after six minutes. Dunboyne's Ger Murphy, who scored three excellent effort from play, and William Mahady gave Meath a firm foothold at midfield while Murray was solid at centre-back until his injury. Laois led briefly when Neil Foyle landed a 40 metre score moments after Lalor's goal but that was quickly countered by the first of three points from play by Mark O'Sullivan and Meath maintained pole position to the finish. Meath - T. Quinn; S. Moran, S. Troy (0-1, free), R. Hatton; P. Kelly, B. Murray, C. O'Shea; G. Murphy (0-3), W. Mahady; Dermot Carty (0-4, frees), T. Meyler (0-1), M. O'Sullivan (0-3); D. Maguire, G. McGovern, N. O'Rourke (0-1). Subs - F. O'Neill for Carty (43 mins), A. Healy for McGovern (52 mins), B. Tormay for Murray (59 mins). Laois - T. Dunphy; A. Moore, L. Burke, J. Corrigan; T. Ryan, G. Gaughan (0-1, free), O. Whelan; C. Kavanagh, E. Whelan; E. Dunne, J. Lalor, D. King (0-1); T. J. Lalor (1-0), N. Foyle (0-4, 3 frees), R. Foyle. Subs - P. Foyle (0-1) for Lalor (25 mins), S. Tynan for Ryan, N. Bergin for O. Whelan (both half-time), D. Lawlor for King (53 mins). Referee - C. Groome (Offaly). Tweet

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