Paul Hearty was deceived for Meath's second goal of the game

Armagh went down to a seven-point defeat by Meath in NFL Division Two.

Aidan O'Rourke netted with a penalty after just nine minutes after Stephen McDonnell had been fouled in the area.

A minute later Joe Sheridan replied with a goal for Meath and then a Cian Ward free seemed to deceive Paul Hearty and float into the Armagh net.

Meath led 2-3 to 1-4 at half-time and Sheridan scored his second goal from the penalty spot after a foul on Pat O'Byrne as Meath won by 3-7 to 1-6.

McDonnell (2), Tony Kernan and Martin O'Rourke were the Armagh pointscorers in the first half but their only points in the second half came from Aaron Kernan and a free from Oisin McConville, who had been introduced as a substitute.

Sheridan ended the match with a personal tally of 2-2 for the victors.

Armagh's Martin O'Rourke appeared to be booked twice in the second half and was substituted by the Armagh bench.

Armagh: P Hearty, B Shannon, B Donaghy, F Moriarty, A Kernan, A O'Rourke, C McKeever, K Toner, G Swift, S Kernan, M O'Rourke, P McGrane, S McDonnell, R Clarke, T Kernan.