Revenge for Meath as final beckons

Meath 2-14 Fermanagh 0-15

Sean Boylan's Meath side booked their place in next weekend's NFL Division Two final as old hand Trevor Giles at full-forward steered them to a five-point defeat of Fermanagh.

The Royals finally got revenge on a Fermanagh side that had sent them packing in both the 2004 (0-19 to 2-12) and 2003 (1-12 to 0-09) All-Ireland qualifiers.

Both Giles and Peadar Byrne found the Ernesiders' net in the second half, after the sides had been level at 0-07 apiece at the break.

Deadlocked four times in the first half, five of Meath's six starting forwards had pointed after 19 minutes as the Leinster men opened well.

Giles led the way with an early brace while Rory Gallagher - who had put his side 0-02 to no score in front - took on the brunt of Fermanagh's scoring.

The complexion of the game changed completely in the second period as three minutes in, a speculative point attempt from the boot of three-time All-Star Giles looped over the head of goalkeeper Niall Tinney and into the Fermanagh net.

Tinney was distraught and from then on, Boylan's charges pushed clear.

Mark Little replied for Fermanagh on 39 minutes but Meath - 1-07 to 0-08 in front - snapped back through a brace of Joe Sheridan points.

Giles - who scored 1-03 in all - set up Byrne for a second goal on 47 minutes.

Meath briefly wobbled as two yellow cards in the space of fifty seconds on 50 and 51 minutes saw Anthony Moyles and Stephen McGowan walk.

Substitute Raymie Gallagher bagged two points on 69 and 71 minutes to reduce the arrears to four points but one of Meath's own replacements Ray Magee kicked the closing score to set up a decider against Monaghan.