Meath book final spot

MEATH advanced to an O’Byrne Shield final clash with arch-rivals Dublin next Saturday when getting the better of Laois in the rescheduled ‘semi’ in Navan’s last night.

Meath led 0-6 to 0-3 at the break and they resumed with Paddy O’Rourke back in a netminder’s role. His cousin, Shane O’Rourke came on to make his mark with

an overall contribution of four points, two fine efforts from play and a brace of converted frees.

Scorers for Meath: S O’Rourke 0-4, 2 frees, P O’Rourke, I Davis, B Farrell, 2 frees, 0-2 each, N Mooney 0-1.

Scorers for Laois: R Munnelly 0-4, 2 frees, D Carroll 0-2, 2 frees, D Brennan, J Enright 0-1 each.

MEATH: B Murphy; C McGill, J Macken, C McGuinness; D Keoghan, B Menton, C King; T Walsh, C Gillespie; N Mooney, B Farrell, S McAnarney; P Gilsenan, P O’Rourke, I Davis.

Subs: S O’Rourke for Murphy, G O’Brien for McGill, K Reilly for Macken (all h-t), A Moyles for Mooney (40), B Meade for Walsh (56).

LAOIS: M Nolan; P Begley, C Boyle, R Kehoe; D Strong, S Julian, N Donoher; C Og Greene, C Coss; R Munnelly, G Kavanagh, C Maher; J Enright, D Carroll, D Brennan.

Subs: B Sheehan for Maher ((42), P McMahon for Begley, K Meaney for Coss (both 54), MJ Tierney for Brennan (66).

Referee: N Ward (Westmeath).