Laois 1-13
Meath 0-7

by Cóilín Duffy

A solid first half display provided the basis for Laois to book a place in the Eirgrid Leinster Under 20 Football Final, with a nine-point win over Meath in Portlaoise tonight.

The hosts led throughout, as they advanced to a final against Dublin, with Courtwood's Alan Kinsella grabbing their only goal after 10 minutes, to give his side a four-point lead at that stage.

Laois included Senior players Sean O'Flynn and Mark Barry in the starting line-up, after John Sugrues side exited the All-Ireland Championship to Cork in their Round 4 Qualifier on Saturday.

Laois had the bulk of the possession in the opening moments, but only led by the minimum after eight and a half minutes, as two Luke Mitchell frees kept Meath in touch

Ronan Coffey, Diarmuid Whelan and Kinsella contributed Laois's early scores.

The O'Moore's grabbed a foot-hold in this game after Kinsella found the net, following a pass from O'Dempsey's clubman Dan McCormack, and they drove on.

Billy O'Loughlin's charges opened up an eight-point lead by the 22nd minute, while holding Meath scoreless in a 19-minute spell.

In a free-flowing opening half, Colin Slevin, McCormack, Whelan and Mark Barry all added to the hosts tally, as Laois looked effective throughout the field.

Meath had some wayward efforts, with Laois keeper Matthew Byron making a fine block, after the ball spiralled inside, after Mitchell pumped a high-ball in for the Royals.

The visitors kept pressing and registered their first wide, before a Daithí McGowan pointed free ended their scoring drought after 27 and a half minutes.

This cut the gap to seven points, but a second Coffey score ensured Laois held a 1-8 to 0-3 interval lead.

Meath rang the changes at the interval, with Aaron Lynch, Danny Dixon and Cathal Finnegan all introduced, while Cian McBride, Cian Swaine and Luke Mitchell made way.

Laois had the bulk of the scoring chances in the first five minutes after the restart, but were somewhat selfish.

They added just one-point to their tally during this spell, as Michael Doran helped extend their lead to nine points.

Meath replied from the next attack with a Jordan Morris point, before both sides misfired in front of the posts, as the wides tally began to mount.

The game sprung to life in the 42nd minute, as Meath cut in for a goal chance. After Jordan Morris fed substitute Finnegan, the Seneschalstown clubman had goal on his mind, but Laois keeper Matthew Byron, son of 2003 All-Star Fergal; delivered a fine save to send the ball out for a 45'. 

Meath failed to convert the resulting free, and while both sides continued to prove wasteful, Laois eventually got scoring once more.

Mark Barry ended their 13-minute scoring dead-lock with a pointed free, before a fine effort from play from Jack Owens from the resulting kick-out handed Laois a 1-11 to 0-4 lead.

Scores began to, flow more freely as Meath responded through substitute Aaron Lynch, before Barry contributed his third point of the night.

Meath kept plugging along, with Mathew Costello cutting the gap to nine points in the 52nd minute.

However, the Royals relied hugely on scores from placed balls over the hour.

The game was delayed for three minutes through injuries, as Laois lost Coffey in the 54th minute, with Meath man Costello also stretchered off in the same play.

Barry added another pointed free for Laois, and although six minutes of injury-time followed, some poor shooting resulted – Meath's Aaron Lynch scoring a late free, but the hosts held on for a nine-point win.

LAOIS: Matthew Byron; Michael Dowling, Seamus Lacey, Alex Mohan; Colin Slevin (0-1), Sean O'Flynn, Dean Brophy; Robert Tyrrell, Eoin Dunne; Mark Barry (0-4, 3f), Michael Doran (0-1), Ronan Coffey (0-2); Alan Kinsella (1-1), Dan McCormack (0-1), Diarmuid Whelan (0-2). Subs: Niall Dunne for Eoin Dunne (Blood 29-HT); Jack Owens (0-1) for Doran (41); Niall Dunne for Tyrrell (47); Jason Maher for McCormack (51); Michael Dempsey for Coffey (54); Kevin Byrne for Brophy (61); Bernard Wheatley for Barry (64).

MEATH: Andrew Beakey; Seán Ryan, Robbie Clarke, Cathal Hickey; Eoin Harkin, John Keane, Oisín Martin; Liam Byrne, Cian McBride; Mathew Costello (0-1, 1f), Cian Swaine, Daithí McGowan (0-1, 1f); Jordan Morris (0-1), Connell Ahearne, Luke Mitchell (0-2, 2f). Subs: Seán Bannon for Clarke (Black Card 22); Aaron Lynch (0-2, 1f) for McBride (HT); Danny Dixon for Swaine (HT); Cathal Finnegan for Mitchell (HT); Luke Kelly for Martin (42).
 

REFEREE: Patrick Maguire (Longford).

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