Tyrone have booked a quick return to the top tier following a 1-17 to 1-11 win over Meath at Pairc Tailteann.

Meath were in need of a confidence-booster after squandering big leads against both Cavan and Galway and they got it from talisman Mickey Newman who produced a great finish to rattle the Tyrone net after four minutes.

However that bright opening was undone when fullback Conor McGill misjudged a delivery from Niall Sludden and it left the unmarked Ronan O'Neill with the easy task of finding the net.

With Newman and O'Neill prominent in the scoring, the sides were level at 1-4 each after 20 minutes. However Tyrone enjoyed a productive spell after that and reeled off six successive points in the run up to half-time.

Meath responded with points from James McEntee and Cillian O'Sullivan to leave it 1-10 to 1-6 at the break.

With Newman continuing to show good accuracy from placed balls the deficit was down to two points by the 43rd minute. Tyrone were sluggish at that stage but Peter Harte and Sean Cavanagh got them moving again and they gradually eased themselves well clear.

The hosts struggled to get scores in that second half and their only point from play came from sub Andrew Tormey in added time.

Mickey Harte’s men finished with 13 as Conor Meyler limped out of the action after they had used their six subs and then Kieran McGeary was black carded near the end.

Armagh and Galway drew 1-15 each at the Athletic Grounds, with Tribes super-sub Danny Cummins's equalising goal coming in the seventh minute of stoppage time after Galway had trailed by 1-15 to 0-10 after 57 minutes.

Tyrone referee Sean Hurson was booed off by the Armagh fans after signalling four minutes and playing almost seven.

Stefan Campbell sparkled for Armagh with 1-9 and kicked seven points from play in the first half and the sides went in level at 0-9 each.

Armagh raised their game after the dismissal of Ethan Rafferty in the 38th minute, scoring 1-6 without reply and Campbell drilling home a 53rd minute penalty.

Galway finished strongly with 1-5 on the bounce with Paul Conroy and Cummins pointing plus a free and a '45' from Shane Walsh bringing them back into contention before Cummins saved the day.

[raw]

Pure entertainment ends in a draw as Laois score 1-22 but Derry fight back to score 5-10 and the game ends level.

— Laois GAA (@CLGLaois) March 13, 2016

Laois and Derry played out a dramatic 1-22 to 5-10 draw in O'Moore Park yesterday, as James Kielt's injury time point ensured a share of the spoils for the visitors.

Laois had a strong start when Thomas Mallon failed to hold Brendan Quigley's shot, and Paul Kingston pounced on the loose ball.

Paul Cahillane added a free moments later and Laois were up and running, as Derry looked stunned by the early barrage. Ryan Bell opened their account with a free in the sixth minute, but the game was held up for eight minutes after that following a serious leg injury suffered by Laois' Kieran Lillis.

When play resumed Bell fired over another free for Derry, but Laois hit back through Cahillane and Evan O'Carroll to keep the goal between the sides. A Brendan Quigley point sent them four clear, but Derry took a chunk out of that lead when wing back Daniel Heavron got forward to fire to the bottom corner.

Laois responded well to that, and quickly re-took the initiative, with John O'Loughlin central to that effort. He hit three points in a row to help them into a 1-10 to 1-5 lead as the half headed into extended added time.

It meant there was still time for another twist in an action-packed opening period, as Benny Heron's goal effort was blocked by Colm Begley's foot, giving the visitors a penalty. Shane Heavron stood up to take it, and he rifled a shot into the top corner to leave just one between the sides at the interval, 1-10 to 2-6.

Two early points in the second half had Laois three clear, but they were quickly reeled in when Christopher Bradley got Derry's third goal.

That set up a frantic second half, as Laois opened up a four-point lead only to see Chris Bradley bag his second goal and get the gap down to one. Laois kept opening up leads only for Derry to hit back with goals, as Daniel Heavron and Christopher Bradley got one more each, and there would be no separating the sides in the end as neither side could claim a dramatic winner.