Tailteann Cup: Eight-goal Down hammer Laois to set up final against Antrim victors Meath

Meath and Antrim both scored two goals in Sunday's last-four encounter

Down will play Meath in the Tailteann Cup final after both counties secured last-four victories at Croke Park.

Antrim's hopes of reaching the showpiece were dashed as they suffered a two-point defeat by Meath in Sunday's first semi-final.

The Saffrons took a one-point lead into the interval but Meath came on strong in the second half to win 2-16 to 2-14.

Liam Kerr scored a hat-trick as the Mournemen hit eight goals in a 8-16 to 2-12 hammering of Laois.

Down and Meath will return to the GAA's Dublin headquarters to face each other in the Tailteann Cup final on Saturday 15 July.

In the first semi-final, Aaron Lynch scored the first goal for Meath, with Dominic McEnhill responding with a penalty before break.

Meath's Jordan Morris found the net early in the second half before Patrick McBride's goal gave Antrim hope.

Meath will play Down or Laois in the final, with those two side's contesting Sunday's second semi-final at GAA headquarters.

In a lively and entertaining opening half, it was Antrim that settled quickest and early points from Adam Loughran and Dominic McEnhill gave the Saffrons an early foothold in the game.

Antrim's early dominance continued and a Michael Byrne free, added to an effort from McBride, gave Andy McEntee's side a 0-5 to 0-2 lead after just 11 minutes.

Lynch's goal then brought Meath roaring back into the contest in the 12th minute, with his crisp shot perfectly-placed into the corner of the Antrim net giving Byrne no chance whatsoever.

Matthew Costello then kicked Meath into the lead for the first time in the 22nd minute, but a minute later Antrim were back in front following McEnhill's sweetly-struck penalty after Meath's Harry O'Higgins had dragged down Ruairí McCann.

It gave the Saffrons a one-point advantage that they held on to until half time to lead 1-7 to 1-6.

Meath made a strong start to the second half and Morris' goal in the 42nd minute contributed to the Royals opening up an eight-point lead.

However, when McBride found the back of the Meath net in the 63rd minute it launched the unlikeliest of comebacks before late scores from Morris and Costello eventually saw Meath over the line with two points to spare.

Kerr hits hat-trick as Down thump Laois

Kerr's three goals helped Down to an easy victory

Laois had no answer to Down's power and pace as the Mournemen cruised into a final meeting with Meath.

As well as Kerr's treble, Danny Magill twice found the back of the Laois net while Pat Havern, Odhran Murdock and Rory Mason also raised green flags as Down went on a goalscoring spree.

It was a day to forget for Laois, but to their credit they refused to give up and they did claim two goals of their own through Kevin Swayne and an expertly-taken penalty from Mark Barry.

Down wasted no time in working the scoreboard as Kerr waltzed through the Laois defence to finish to the net in the opening minute.

Havern has been one of the players of the Tailteann Cup and he found the back of the net in the eighth minute.

A mark from Barry in the 13th minute opened Laois' account but after Shealan Johnston's effort came back off the post, Kerr was on hand to finish the rebound to the Laois net.

Only 16 minutes had elapsed when Danny Magill scored Down's fourth goal of the contest and already it was just a matter of how many Down were going to win by.

Rory Mason and Ceilum Doherty added to Down's tally as the Mournemen went in at the break with one foot in the final on a 4-10 to 0-4 scoreline.

Down's ruthless streak showed no signs of easing as Kerr completed his hat-trick with a close-range finish.

Under 20 star Murdock was on hand to claim Down's sixth goal of the afternoon as their attackers again found themselves in acres of space before Mason gave Killian Roche no chance in the Laois goal to slot home goal number seven.

Laois hit back with two goals of their own through Swayne and a Barry penalty, but in between those two strikes Magill claimed his second and Down's eighth goal to ensure his side a safe passage into next month's final.

Antrim: M Byrne (0-2 1f 1'45'), P McCormick, P Healy, E McCabe, D McAleese (0-2), D Lynch, M Jordan, J Finnegan, C Hynds, P McBride (1-1), A Loughran (0-3), Ruairí McCann (Creggan) (0-1), R Boyle, Ruairí McCann (Aghagallon) (0-1Mark), D McEnhill (1-3 1-0 pen, 3f).

Replacements: G Walsh for Healy (16), E Quinn for Finnegan (52), C Johnston for R McCann (Creggan) (62), C McLarnon for McBride (63), O Eastwood (0-1) for Loughran (73)

Meath: S Brennan, A O'Neill, Ronan Ryan, H O'Higgins, D Keogan, P Harnan, S Coffey, Ronan J Flynn (0-2), C Gray (0-1), C Hickey (0-1), J McEntee (0-1), J O'Connor (0-1), J Morris (1-4), M Costello (0-4 1f), A Lynch (1-2 1 Mark).

Replacements: D Lenihan for McEntee (51), C O'Sullivan for Lynch (54), D McGowan for O'Connor (55), R Jones for Hickey (65).

Down: N Kane (0-1f), P McCarthy, P Laverty, A Doherty, M Rooney, C Doherty (0-2 1 Mark), S Johnston, D Guinness, O Murdock (1-1), L Kerr (3-2), R Mason (1-1F), D Magill (2-0), E Brannagan (0-3,) P Havern (1-3), R Johnston (0-1).

Replacements: R McEvoy for Laverty (HT), S Annett for Guinness (43), R Carr for Havern (47), D McAleenan for R Johnston (49), R O'Hare for S Johnston (54).

Blood sub: P Branagan (0-2) for C O'Doherty (43).

Laois: K Roche (0-1 45), S Greene, T Collins, R Pigott, P Kirwan, M Timmons, P O'Sullivan, K Lillis, D Larkin, C Murphy, P Kingston (0-1), J Finn, M Barry (1-6 1-0 Pen 4f 1 Mark), E O'Carroll (0-1), E Lowry (0-2 1f).

Replacements: A Mohan for Collins (HT), S O'Flynn for Kirwan (HT), K Swayne (1-0) for Finn (HT), D Kavanagh (0-1) for Timmons (37), N Corbet for Murphy (63).