Leitrim snatched a late 2-14 to 0-18 victory over Laois in Carrick-on-Shannon with a Mark Plunkett point and a pointed Keith Beirne '45' after a ding dong battle which puts Andy Moran's side in the promotion hunt provided they, at home, overcome Sligo on Sunday in the final round of Division 4 fixtures.
It was level pegging after the opening 12 minutes of the action Laois's Paul Kingston putting over two frees while Mark Barry hit a point with Donal Wrynn, Aidan Flynn and Mark Plunkett replying with a point each for Leitrim.
Following that Laois went ahead when Eoin Lowry whipped over a point but then Leitrim grabbed the lead for the first time in the game when Beirne hammered home a 13th minute goal after being put through by Evan Sweeney.
Leitrim edged the proceedings in the rest of the first half with Beirne pointing three frees while Evan Sweeney along with Shane Quinn added a point apiece. Laois stayed in contention in this period thanks to two Mark Barry free conversions plus one free conversion by Paul Kingston and Evan Carroll point.
The home side by 1-08 to 0-09 at the interval. Leitrim had a tonic second half start when Pearce Dolan gathered up a breaking ball from the throw-in and raced through a big gap in the Laois defence to fire an unstoppable shot off the butt of goalkeeper, Scott Osborne's left upright to the net.
However, Laois responded in a very workman-like fashion to this early Leitrim strike and six unanswered points on the trot over the next 16 minutes to grab a minimum margin lead by the 51st minute. In this period Paul Kingston shot over twice for Laois and converted a free while Mark Barry, Brian Byrne and Sean O'Flynn chipped in with a point each.
But Leitrim, who hadn't scored for 20 minutes, found their rhythm again and took the lead with two Beirne free tap overs. Then Paul Kingston got Laois level on 59 nine minutes when he split the Leitrim uprights.
Even though Paul Kingston tapped over two more Laois frees Leitrim finished stronger at the end with two Keith Beirne points – one from a free and one from a '45' – while sub Jack Heslin and Mark Plunkett add a point apiece.
Leitrim: Nevin O'Donnell; Paddy Maguire, Mark Diffley, Conor Reynolds; Adam Reynolds, Domhnaill Flynn, Shane Quinn (0-01); Pearce Dolan (1-00), Donal Wrynn (0-01); Darragh Rooney, Mark Plunkett (0- 02), Paul Keaney; Aidan Flynn (0-01), Keith Beirne (1-07 5f m '45'), Evan Sweeney (0-01).
Subs: Jack Heslin (0-01) for Keaney (50); Tom Prior for Sweeney (58); James Rooney for D Flynn & B McNulty for D Rooney (61); C Farrell for A Reynolds (62).
Laois: Scott Osborne; Sean Greene, Trevor Collins, Robert Pigott; Sean O'Flynn (0-01), Mark Timmons, Brian Byrne (0-01); Kieran Lillis, Dermot Larkin; Kevin Swayne, Paul Kingston (0-08 6f), Patrick O'Sullivan; Eoin Lowry (0-02), Evan O'Carroll (0-01), Mark Barry (0-05 3f).
Sub:Padraig Kirwan for Swayne (54)
Referee: Noel Mooney (Cavan).
