DIVISION 2B/Meath ... 2-14 Carlow ... 0-6: Trevor Giles, who was rested last week, returned to action at Navan's Páirc Tailteann yesterday and initiated most of Meath's attacks as they chalked up another victory at the expense of a weak Carlow side.

Giles sent over a spectacular long-range point from play early in the second half and then came the best goal seen at the venue in a few years as substitute Niall Kelly crashed to the net 10 minutes after the resumption.

The Dunshaughlin clubman had replaced John Cullinane at midfield at half-time and powered through the middle before unleashing an unstoppable shot past visitors' goalkeeper Paudge McGrath.

That left the board reading 2-6 to 0-6, the home side having led by the minimum, 1-4 to 0-6, at the break. Carlow held their own and led narrowly on two occasions when favoured by the strong breeze in the first period.

They should have had a goal at the end of the opening quarter but Cormac Sullivan saved well from corner forward Brian Kelly. Another Kelly, Meath's Evan, made no mistake after 34 minutes when netting following a pass from David Crimmins.

Overall, 10 Meath players got among the scorers with Ray McGee and Mick O'Dowd other substitutes to get on target.

MEATH: C Sullivan; M O'Reilly, C Murphy, P Shankey; P Reynolds, T Giles (0-1), S Kenny; N Crawford, J Cullinane; E Kelly (1-2), A Moyles, A Kenny (0-4); O Murphy (0-1), D Curtis (0-1), D Crimmins (0-2). Subs: N Kelly (1-0) for Cullinane, M O'Dowd (0-1) for Moyles, R McGee (0-2) for E Kelly, D Regan for Curtis.

CARLOW: P McGrath; J Hickey, B Farrell, M Drea; S O'Brien, J Byrne, C Kelly; P Kiernan, M Carpenter; J Kavanagh (0-1), S Kavanagh (0-1), J McGrath, K Byrne (0-2), G Ware, B Kelly (0-2).

Referee: C Broderick (Down).