Meath - 2-16 Laois - 1-18: Revenge was sweet for Meath in Navan yesterday when they made up for the disappointment of losing out to Laois in last term's Leinster championship by defeating the same opposition with a dramatic late winning goal.
In a nerve-racking finish to the tie, the Royal County's goalkeeper, Mark Gannon, came forward twice in an attempt to thunder home a match-winning score from close range frees but on both occasions he was denied.
Niall Rigney deflected his second attempt out for a '65 which Gannon took himself and lobbed the ball forward. Mickey Cole gained possession and blasted to the net.
The victory brought huge delight to the Meath squad, not least of all to under-fire manager Michael Duignan who had witnessed his side endure relegation from Division One of the National Hurling League after a difficult first year in charge.
Equally pleased will have been Meath's Nicky Horan, sent off in that humiliating 15 points defeat to the Midlanders 12 months ago, as he scored 1-10 on this occasion.
Horan's goal actually opened the hosts' account and again Gannon was involved, hoisting forward a massive free about 20 metres from his own posts to the opposition's uprights where the Meath full forward rose above everyone to flick to the net.
It left Duignan's charges 1-0 to 0-1 to the good after seven minutes and although they had the advantage of a strong breeze, Laois were enjoying far more possession, from which lively forward Damien Culleton was benefiting most.
Culleton, scorer of a hat trick of goals when these two sides met in a Walsh Cup tie in January 2001, put two missed chances in the opening stages behind him to finally net after 13 minutes, which left Laois 1-3 to 1-1 in front.
Pat Delaney's men looked as if they would maintain that advantage going into the break but points from Horan and Thomas Reilly - a superb effort from inside his own half - left it all square at 1-8 apiece at the interval.
Meath maintained that momentum on the restart and led by three points on two different occasions before Laois, galvanised by Niall Rigney's switch from full back to centre back, got back into the contest, with David Cuddy beginning to make more of an impact.
Michael Dunphy and Culleton could have put their side in a commanding position from goal chances in the final quarter but still seemed destined for victory when moving two points clear as injury time approached before Cole made his mark.
MEATH: M Gannon; P Gannon, P Donnelly, G Kennedy; C Keena, D Murray, K Dowd; C Sheridan, D Callaghan; T Reilly (0-1), D Dorran, M Cole (1-1); E Lynam (0-1), N Horan (1-10), J Toole (0-3). Subs: A O'Neill for Kennedy, N Reilly for Lynam.
LAOIS: J Lyons; PJ Peacock (0-1), N Rigney (0-1), L Mahon; P Mahon, P Drennan, M McEvoy; D Conroy, R Delaney (0-1); D Cuddy (0-3), J O'Shea, D Rooney (0-2); M Dunphy (0-6), D Culleton (1-2), J Phelan (0-1). Subs: C Cuddy for Drennan, B Ferns (0-1) for O'Shea, F Keenan for Conroy, F O'Sullivan for Mahon.
Referee: G Devlin (Armagh).
