Sheridan punishes wasteful Laois

Division One B/Meath 1-11 Laois 0-13: With the sparks still flying after this firecracker of a league match the Meath players are roared loudly off the field, while the Laois players struggled up off their knees in disgust. When it's only the third round and the air still has the bitter sting of winter there's something not normal about this scene.

But then, this was clearly not a normal league match. Somewhere along the line it changed from being a battle for two points into war of pride, effort and determination. Winning should not have meant as much as it did. It's just the manner Meath won it made for the unseasonably rave celebrations.

Those packed into the stand of Páirc Tailteann were left dancing after Joe Sheridan's lofting point had edged Meath clear at closing time. The Laois supporters were left numb. They knew as well as anyone that their team could, should, have won. They probably weren't counting, but we were, and 21 wides that Laois hit were every bit as disastrous as they deserved to be.

Still, that disturbing level of inaccuracy didn't take from what was a superbly competitive game right until the death. The last five minutes alone created more than enough excitement for one afternoon. Billy Sheehan finally broke the Laois famine of scores with a fisted point, which levelled the scores, Laois 0-12, Meath 1-9.

Sheehan then looked to have provided the winner with a superb kick from 30 metres out, only for the final frenzy to favour Meath. Substitute Tadhg Brosnan levelled it again as calm as the breeze, before Sheridan popped up to provide the winner.

It's still a little early to judge Eamonn Barry's influence on Meath football, but he's definitely got this team playing for him, and the supporters are loving it. Seán Boylan was in the stands and we can only assume he was too.

"We're a little relieved to get away with that win," said Barry. "But it's the scoreboard that tells the story at the end of the day. That's what I tell the players, and that's why it's so important to do the simple things right, and put the ball over the bar.

"But we're a young team on the road a few months, and it's still all a learning process. The pace was up again on the last round, because the Laois work-rate is superb. So I think we can only improve from that experience."

Things had exploded like a roman candle from the throw-in, and even if Laois eventually endured a defeat, the level of fitness they displayed throughout was simply awesome. Just ask the Meath defenders. For the first 20 minutes or so they could hardly cope. Laois swept forward like tidal waves.

They were three points clear after six minutes before Nigel Crawford settled Meath's nerves, but it felt like Laois were coming forward at twice the rate, with twice the men.

Gradually, however, Meath got to grips with this onslaught. Sheridan was playing mean and moody football, in the best sense of those words, his confidence visibly growing with every game.

Frees from Peter Curran and Daithí Regan helped them draw level, but Laois suddenly took off again, with Ross Munnelly's great score from close to the end-line helping to push them two points clear.

Meath were still creating chances at the other end, but saw two goal chances somehow blocked, unwittingly it seemed, by the Laois defence. A couple more points were exchanged and so Laois went into the break 0-8 to 0-7 in front.

The goal Meath had threatened came soon after the restart. Regan started the move, and Brian Farrell's pass then set up Sheridan for a thundering run at goal, which ended with him rattling the Laois net. Meath were now up 1-7 to 0-9 and suddenly the pressure was on Laois.

For some reason, they couldn't cope with that pressure. Chris Conway hit a nice point to level the scores, but that was where their response ended, as they failed to score for another 15 minutes. Instead, they clocked up wide after wide, with each forward as guilty as the other. They started out as a team that couldn't miss, and they were finishing as a team that couldn't score.

Substitute Donie Brennan finally gave them some hope with a carefully hit score, but Meath were still a point up. Sheehan had moved back to midfield and while Laois continued to dominate that area they just couldn't get the ball over the bar until Sheehan himself levelled it up again with four minutes to play. Still, Meath would have the final say.

"Just one of those days," explained Mick O'Dwyer afterwards. "I mean we totally dominated the game, but just hit far too many wides. The only thing is we showed good competitive qualities, and overall they played well. We can just try to correct our shooting, but most of those forwards are very good kickers and I think it was just one of those games. I mean most of the wides were just outside the post."

MEATH: B Murphy; C King, K Reilly, N McLoughlin; J Donoghue, A Moyles, R Kearns; D Gallagher, N Crawford (0-1); P Curran (0-2, two frees), J Sheridan (1-3), P Byrne; D Regan (0-3, two frees), M Doran, B Farrell (0-1). Subs: S McAnarney for Kearns (42 mins), R Maguire for Farrell (51 mins), T Brosnan (0-1) for Curran (65 mins).

LAOIS: F Byron; J Higgins, D Rooney, P McMahon; T Kelly, D Conroy, B McCormack (0-1); P Clancy, B Brennan; R Munnelly (0-3), C Conway (0-1), B Sheehan (0-4); B McDonald, S Cooke (0-1), G Kavanagh (0-2). Subs: D Brennan (0-1) for McDonald (53 mins), M Lawlor for Cooke (53 mins).

Referee: M Hughes (Tyrone).