Joe Sheridan landed the winning point for Meath as they pipped Laois by 1-11 to 0-13 in their Allianz NFL Division 1B tussle at Pairc Tailteann.
The Royals' second NFL win puts them third in the table ahead of next weekend’s trip to Wexford. For Laois, it will be plenty of target-practice next week – the O'Moore men clocked up a galling wides tally of 21, and they will certainly need their shooting boots on next Sunday when unbeaten Down pay them a visit.
Before today's throw-in, Meath manager Eamonn Barry was forced to bring the 6ft 4in David Gallagher, last season's county goalkeeper, into his centre half back line with the late withdrawal of midfielder Barry Lynch (illness) causing a re-shuffle.
The Laois performance was not all that bad, especially in the first half. Mick O'Dwyer's side conjured up some free-flowing football with Ross Munnelly particularly standing out in front of an attendance close to 6,000.
Gary Kavanagh (0-02) and Shane Cooke, the former Dublin player, pointed early on for a 0-03 to no score lead for Laois. Meath awoke from their slumber and rattled off four consecutive points with Sheridan, Nigel Crawford, the returning Daithí Regan and Brian Farrell all on target.
Munnelly, who scored after two wides, Billy Sheehan and Munnelly again raised white flags to help Laois go 0-06 to 0-04 in front by the 17th-minute.
The evasive Munnelly added his third of the half on 22 minutes but Meath managed to close the gap to 0-07 to 0-08 by half time as Sheridan, Peter Curran and Regan added overs. Incidentally at that stage, all eight of Laois' points had come from play.
All five of their second half points came from play also, but it was his side's growing wides tally that had Kerry man O'Dwyer quickening his pace along his touchline beat.
Brian McCormack pointed to double Laois' lead early in the second half, but Meath came right back into it with a 40th-minute goal from Sheridan, set up by Regan and Farrell.
Chris Conway then drew Laois level at 0-10 to 1-07. Sheridan replied before Regan added another for a 1-09 to 0-10 Meath advantage.
Inspired by the running of substitute Donie Brennan, who had come on for his cousin Brian 'Beano' McDonald, Laois clambered back in front as Brennan and Sheehan – clipping over his third and fourth points of the afternoon – had Laois 0-13 to 1-09 in front by the 67th-minute.
There was still time for substitute Tadhg Brosnan to level matters right on 70 minutes and Sheridan grabbed the injury-time winner to grab a dramatic and much-needed win for the O'Byrne Cup champions.
