Published: Wednesday, 24th March, 2010 5:01pm

Still unbeaten under Pairc Tailteann lights

Meath 0-13 Laois 1-9

Meath's Stephen Bray surges forward as Laois defender John Scully blocks the way during Saturday's NFL Div 2 clash at Pairc Tailteann.

Little steps of reparation were made at Pairc Tailteann on Saturday evening as Meath maintained their unbeaten run under the lights in Navan for 2010 with a narrow NFL Div 2 victory over Laois.

After harrowing displays against Westmeath and Tipperary, victory and a decent performance were paramount for Eamonn O'Brien's side. The win was based on a return to a strong work ethic and will to succeed, but there is still a lot of work necessary to improve standards.

The now familiar problems of long periods without scoring, poor decision making and careless possession were once again very prominent.

After a tremendous scoring burst of five points in seven first-half minutes, Meath then failed to score for 17 minutes, while all the time wasting decent possession with wayward passing and woeful shooting.

Uncharacteristically, Cian Ward was consistently wide of the target with several efforts, but his ability from frees ensured that any indiscretions within 40 metres would inevitably be punished.

However, the lack of accuracy from play and an unusually quiet display from Stephen Bray left Meath weak in attack and relying heavily on the hard work of the outstanding Ollie Lewis and the magnificent endeavour of Shane O'Rourke who started his first competitive game for Meath in almost two years.

Both Lewis and O'Rourke were the stand-out figures for Meath and while there was a significant improvement from the display in Thurles just six days earlier, Meath could hardly have deteriorated from that display.

Victory was welcome and probably removes any fear of relegation to Div 3, but Meath are still a long way away from where they need to be at this stage of the season.

There is only so many times a team can pump long, high balls forward in the hope that a giant target man such as O'Rourke or Joe Sheridan will win possession or break it to on-rushing half-forwards, yet Meath persisted with that tactic.

Eventually Laois succumbed to the incessant barrage and with O'Rourke impressing on his return Meath had a decent outlet, but for long periods it looked as if the strong Laois rearguard would never crumble.

Midfield struggled to get on top at any stage and it was only when Mickey Burke started to pick up a few breaking balls in the second-half that the tide turned in the hosts favour.

Laois were poor, but they did provide plenty of attacking threat with Michael John Tierney, Donal Kingston, Billy Sheehan and the rampaging Colm Begley causing concern.

There was an air of living on the edge with the Meath defenders. Many of the last gasp tackles and vital late touches smacked of desperation, but there was a more formidable presence about Niall McKeigue, Eoghan Harrington and Anthony Moyles that gave Meath more confidence.

After looking incapable of getting their noses in front in the closing stages it took a sublime Joe Sheridan sideline to give Meath the lead with seven minutes remaining and after Burke and Peadar Byrne stretched that advantage they were forced to hang on for the final whistle.

Laois were ahead by 1-5 to 0-7 at half-time. The goal arrived when Paddy O'Rourke failed to cope with Cathal Og Greene's speculative centre and Billy Sheehan rose highest. The home side's goalkeeper should have done better.

Up to that point Meath had looked comfortable after an impressive opening quarter. Laois raced into an early lead with Tierney converting a free, after Mark Ward fouled Brendan Quigley, and Craig Rogers blasted over from close range.

After taking six minutes to find their range Meath then rattled over five points in seven minutes for a deserved 0-5 to 0-2 lead.

Sheridan kick-started Meath when he sent over after his initial goalbound shot was blocked. The impressive O'Rourke restored parity before Lewis, Cian Ward (free) and O'Rourke again gave Meath their three-point cushion.

Meath drifted back to the dreadful form that saw them slump in previous outings. It was 17 minutes before they scored again and in that spell points from Donal Kingston (free) and Begley and Sheehan's goal put Laois in the driving seat.

After their slumber Meath woke up with Sheridan and Lewis pointing either side of a Kingston free to reduce the deficit to just a point at the interval.

That advantage was doubled within a minute of the restart when Sheehan lofted over a brilliant score. Again Meath looked incapable of finding a breakthrough with Cian Ward points from a free and a '45' their only scores for the first 20 minutes of the second-half.

Kingston edged Laois ahead at the three-quarter stage with a 13-metre free before the introduction of Brian Meade and Peadar Byrne injected some much needed life and urgency into the Royal attack.

Sheridan brilliantly knocked down a long ball into the path of Lewis for the Na Fianna man to draw the sides level, 0-10 to 1-7, but another Kingston free gave Laois the lead with 10 minutes remaining.

Cian Ward struck the upright with a decent effort, before Sheridan lofted over that superb sideline with seven minutes remaining. That was Sheridan's last contribution before he was substituted, but a minute later O'Rourke's tired point attempt was fisted as far as Burke and the Longwood man tapped over to make it 0-12 to 1-8.

Tierney received a second yellow card following a clash with Paddy O'Rourke. He had been booked in the 17th minute following a minor scuffle which also saw Harrington and Rogers yellow-carded.

Laois were forced to search for an equaliser with just 14 men, but Meath countered. A superb piece of interplay between Byrne and Meade resulted in a point for the Ballinlough player while Peter O'Leary pointed late on for Laois.

Meath - P O'Rourke; C O'Connor, N McKeigue, E Harrington; A Moyles, C McGuinness, M Burke (0-1); N Crawford, M Ward; S Kenny, S O'Rourke (0-2), O Lewis (0-3); C Ward (0-3, two frees, one '45'), J Sheridan (0-3, one sideline), S Bray. Subs - P Byrne (0-1) for McGuinness 55mins, B Meade for M Ward 55m, B Sheridan for J Sheridan 63m.

Laois - M Dowling; J Scully, D Booth, C Healy; D Strong, M Timmons, C Begley (0-1); B Quigley, C Og Greene; B Sheehan (1-1), C Rogers (0-1), K Meaney; M J Tierney (0-1, free), D Kingston (0-4, frees), N Donoher. Subs - P McMahon for Healy 49 mins, P O'Leary (0-1) for Rogers 57m, P Lalor for Donoher 63m, D Rooney for Greene 69m.

Referee - Jimmy McKee (Armagh).