Meath secured two vital league points in this afternoon's crunch fixture with Armagh.

Longwood certainly played an important role with Eoin Lynch and Michael Burke helping to stem the tide that looked to be overwhelming the home team during the second period. Well done lads!

With two wins from their opening three fixtures (many would argue it should be three wins) Meath are very much in the promotion shake-up. Winning your home games is crucial and if Meath are to be successful they must make Páirc Tailteann a fortress.

The Royals led by nine points at the interval, 1-9 to 0-3 – the goal coming from a 20th-minute Michael Newman penalty - but Kieran McGeeney’s men reeled off nine of the first ten points after the restart to ease within the minimum with 13 minutes remaining.

However, the hosts redoubled their efforts and Ethan Devine came off the bench to strike their second goal and secure their second win of the campaign and moved to the top of the table on score difference, level with Donegal and Fermanagh on four points.

Strong wind at their backs, Andy McEntee’s side notched the first four points inside five minutes through Shane McEntee, Newman (free), James McEntee and Darragh Campion, Newman dispatching from the spot in the 20th minute after Stephen Sheridan had pulled back a rare Armagh point

Newman (free), Cillian O’Sullivan, Campion, Tomas O’Reilly and Ben Brennan (free) added to the winning haul before the short whistle, while the visitors could only manage points from Rory Grugan and Rian O’Neill

It was all Armagh for the first 22 minutes of the second half as Grugan (3), Stefan Campbell (2), O’Neill (3) and Ryan McShane brought them right back into the picture but Newman steadied the Royal ship by stroking over a brace of frees in the 61st and 64th minutes and Devine palmed calmly to the net in the final minute after O’Reilly had landed his second.

Meath: Andrew Colgan; Conor McGill, Seamus Lavin, Ronan Ryan; James McEntee (0-1), Niall Kane, Donal Keogan; Bryan Menton, Shane McEntee (0-1); Cillian O'Sullivan (0-1), Darragh Campion (0-2), Ben Brennan (0-1, 1f); Bryan McMahon, Michael Newman (1-5, 1pen, 5f), Thomas O'Reilly (0-2). Subs: Eoin Lynch for Kane (53mins), Graham Reilly for Brennan (53), Ethan Devine (1-0) for McMahon (64), Michael Burke for O'Sullivan (68), Gavin McCoy for Ryan (70),

Armagh: Blaine Hughes; Connaire Mackin, Aaron McKay, Ryan Kennedy; Aidan Forker, James Morgan, Greg McCabe; Stephen Sheridan (0-1), Niall Grimley; Jemar Hall, Ryan McShane (0-1), Mark Shields; Rian O'Neill (0-5, 5f), Stefan Campbell (0-2), Rory Grugan (0-4, 2f). Subs: Joe McElroy for Campbell (61mins), Jarly Óg Burns for Hall (64), Paul Hughes for Kennedy (68), Aidan Nugent for McShane (68)