Meath pass Louth test in Parnell Park

​Meath overcame Louth by 0-20 to 1-13 in Parnell Park to set up a Leinster SFC semi-final clash with champions Dublin on June 26.

This was the sides' first meeting in the Leinster championship since the Leinster final in 2010 when Joe Sheridan's controversial goal for Meath broke Louth hearts.
There was no such controversy today though as Mickey Newman led the way for Meath as they secured a four point victory.
Louth opened the scoring in the first minute as Ryan Burns split the posts with a free but Newman (free) and Eamonn Wallace got off the mark for Meath to put Mick O'Dowd's men 0-2 to 0-1 up after five minutes.
Wing-back Anthony Williams notched a point for Louth and Jim McEneaney added another to put Louth a point in front after nine minutes.
Newman added another free for Meath before Cillian O'Sullivan, on his championship debut, kicked a point in the 11th minute.
Wallace chipped over his second of the game before Graham Reilly scored his side's sixth point to give them a four point lead in the 20th minute.
Louth had wing-back Derek Maguire to thank in the 32nd minute as he blocked Dalton McDonagh's goal-bound effort.
Wallace continued his impressive first half performance and he kicked his fourth score in the 34th minute and Andy Tormey rounded off the half with Meath's eleventh point on the stroke of half-time to give the Royals a five-point advantage at the break.
Louth started the second half well and scored three points without reply in the first six minutes.
Burns kicked his second free of the game before James Califf scored two further points, the first from a '45.
But this revival was quickly negated as Reilly kicked a fine score in the 42nd minute before two scores in quick succession from Tormey.
The first of these came as the midfielder mishit a goal effort over the bar after being played in by O'Sullivan.
His second score was followed by another point from Reilly to give Meath a 0-15 to 0-9 lead with twenty minutes to go. Declan Byrne and Califf (free) kept Louth in touch and they had goalkeeper Craig Lynch to thank in the 55th minute as he produced a brilliant save to deny Newman a goal.
The ball went out for a '45 which Newman duly dispatched but it could have been a lot worse but for Lynch's heroics.
Newman added another free a minute later before O'Sullivan set up his fellow debutant Cian O'Brien for a point in the 59th minute to make it 0-18 to 0-11 with ten minutes to go.
McEneaney gave Louth some hope in the 64th minute with a brilliant goal as he drilled the ball past Paddy O'Rourke in the Meath goal.
The Geraldines clubman's goal left four points between them but Newman kicked his sixth point of the game to edge Meath five in front.
Byrne's second point kept the Wee County in touch before Newman and Burns exchanged frees.
Burns point proved to be the last of the game though as Meath held on for victory to earn a trip to Croke Park to face rivals Dublin in the next round.   Meath: P O'Rourke; D Tobin, D Keogan, M Burke; D Smyth, P Harnan, A Douglas; H Rooney, A Tormey (0-3); C O'Brien (0-1), G Reilly (0-3), C O'Sullivan (0-2); E Wallace (0-4), D McDonagh, M Newman (0-7, 6f, 1 '45).   Subs: C Finn for Tobin (48), B McMahon for McDonagh (56), D Lenihan for Tormey (63), S Tobin for Reilly (67).   Louth: C Lynch; P Rath, P Reilly, K Toner; D Maguire, D McMahon, A Williams (0-2); J Stewart, J Califf (0-4, 2f, 1 '45); D Byrne (0-2), J McEneaney (1-1), C McKeever; B Duffy (0-1), C Grimes, R Burns (0-3, 3f).   Subs: R Moore for Duffy (35, black card), E Lafferty for McMahon (44), A Reid for McKeever (51), J Bingham for Toner (57), G McSorley for Byrne (68).   Referee: Padraig Hughes (Armagh)