Defending champions winners Donegal kept themselves in the Division 1 title hunt by overcoming Laois at Ballyshannon.
Donegal landed the game's final five points – all bar one of them from Colm McFadden – to maintain pace with the league leaders.
The result means Laois are relegated, although they fought well and trailed by 1-08 to 1-06 at half-time with Padraig McMahon and David Walsh swapping goals.
A fisted Paul Lawlor goal helped the midlanders into a 2-08 to 1-09 lead, but Donegal finished much the stronger.
Injury-hit Laois, who were missing the likes of Noel Garvan and Padraig Clancy, fielded a much changed team with Joe Higgins, fresh out of inter-county retirement, also on the bench.
Christy Toye was recalled as one of three changes to the Donegal side that lost to Tyrone, while, before the throw-in, the hosts switched goalkeepers with Michael Boyle stepping in for Paul Durcan.
Danger man McFadden (free), Ciaran Bonner and Kevin Rafferty kicked the opening three points for Donegal as they took advantage of the space in the Laois defence.
Playing with the wind, Laois replied through Michael Tierney ('45') and substitute Donal Brennan.
Donegal defender Karl Lacey got himself on the scoresheet before Brennan tagged on another point and McMahon nicked the ball past Boyle for Laois' first goal.
Liam Kearns' men strengthened their sudden lead with a Colm Kelly score but Bonner, McFadden and Leon Thompson saw Donegal back in front.
Then came the Donegal goal as Walsh bulged the net with a fisted effort.
That strike put Donegal four points ahead, however, Laois rallied in the dying embers of the first half with Ross Munnelly and Tierney (free).
Indeed, the visitors might have been ahead by that stage as Donegal stopper Boyle showed good reactions to parry a goal-bound shot from Munnelly.
After conceding an early McFadden point, Laois looked set for a tough time in the second half but they increased their chances of a shock win with some free-flowing football.
Tierney set up Lawlor for his goal, Munnelly followed up with a fisted point and David Murphy cracked over another point as the O'Moore county sped into a 2-08 to 1-09 lead.
Little went right for Kearns' charges after that though as a Michael Hegarty score and four more points from an on-fire McFadden steered Donegal to their fourth win in six league games.
Laois did have chances to add to their tally but Tierney missed a kickable free, Brennan had a shot brilliantly saved by Boyle and they also had a penalty claim turned down.
The game saw Aodh Ruadh clubman Brian Roper make his 142nd appearance for Donegal.
The 33-year-old attacker was sprung from the bench to great applause - he is six games away from beating Matt Gallagher's Donegal record.
