Leinster Senior Hurling Championship Round Robin

LAOIS 3-25 MEATH 2-13

By Paul Keane at Pairc Tailteann, Navan

Patrick Purcell helped himself to a stunning hat-trick of goals in Navan as Laois maintained their 100 per cent start to the Leinster SHC qualifier group.

The midfielder scored 3-6 in total, 3-5 of which came in the first-half, as Eamonn Kelly's side cruised to victory and within touching distance of a Leinster quarter-final berth.

Laois, and Purcell in particular, cut loose in the last 15 minutes of the first-half with all of their goals arriving in that period.

Meath were stunned to go in at half-time trailing by 15 points having been on level terms at 0-5 apiece after 20 minutes.

Free-taker Ross King fired 11 points which meant that Laois midfield duo of Purcell and King accounted for a whopping 3-17 of their overall tally, 3-10 of which came from play.

Laois conclude their qualifier group campaign against Kerry in Tralee on May 14, the same day that Meath travel to Mullingar to play Westmeath.

It remains to be seen if experienced Laois defender Cahir Healy is back for the Kerry game in a fortnight after limping off early in with a hamstring strain.

The sides were level four times up to the 20 minute mark but Laois and the inspired Purcell moved into overdrive between there and half-time.

Neil Foyle, one of three late additions to the Laois team, fed Purcell for 21st and 34th minute goals while the Rathdowney-Errill did it all himself for the second goal, flicking the ball out of a crowd into space and soloing clear.

Laois led 3-13 to 0-7 at half-time and stretched the gap to 16 with another King point after the restart.

Meath, realistically, were playing for pride and showed their heart with a 40th minute goal from sub Neil Heffernan when he was picked out with a brilliant crossfield pass by Mark O'Sullivan.

They kept pace with Laois for the next 10 minutes or so, exchanging score for score and even grabbed a second goal through Joey Keena when he blasted in from close range after good work by Kevin Keena.

But the visitors pulled clear again late on, firing six points without reply at one stage to win at their ease.

Scorers for Laois: Patrick Purcell 3-6, Ross King 0-11 (0-6f, 0-1 65), Neil Foyle 0-2, Aidan Corby 0-2, Sean Downey 0-1, Ben Conroy 0-1, Willie Dunphy 0-1, Aaron Dunphy 0-1.

**Scorers for Meath: **Steven Clynch 0-6 (0-4f, 1 65), Neil Heffernan 1-1, Joey Keena 1-0, Sean Quigley 0-1, Mark O'Sullivan 0-1, Anthony Forde 0-1, Keith Keoghan 0-1, Adam Gannon 0-1, Shane Brennan 0-1.

LAOIS: Enda Rowland; Leigh Bergin, Cahir Healy, Dwane Palmer; Matthew Whelan, Ciaran Collier, Lee Cleere; Ross King, Patrick Purcell; Sean Downey, Charles Dwyer, Stephen Maher; Willie Dunphy, Paddy Whelan, Neil Foyle. Subs: Ben Conroy for Healy (14), Aaron Dunphy for Whelan (48), Aidan Corby for Foyle (60), Eric Killeen for Dwyer (63), Stephen Bergin for Maher (67).

MEATH: Shane McGann; Shane Whitty, Shane Brennan, Cormac Reilly; Sean Geraghty, Keith Keoghan, Daragh Kelly; Anthony Forde, Joey Keena; Sean Quigley, Steven Clynch, James Kelly; Gavin McGowan, Mark O'Sullivan, Adam Gannon. Subs: Neil Heffernan for Quigley (h/t), Kevin Keena for McGowan (h/t), Cathal McCabe for Kelly (59), Peter Farrell for Clynch (60), David Reilly for O'Sullivan (65).

Ref: John Keenan (Wicklow).