Laois got their Division 4 campaign underway with a valuable home win over Longford at Laois Hire O'Moore Park.
Goalkeeper Killian Roche was sensational as he kicked five points in total, with his new roaming role resulting in three of those from play.
His midfielder Damon Larkin was similarly excellent as he held the dangerous Darren Gallagher scoreless from play and kicked 1-2 himself.
The O’Moore men played with a gale force wind in the first half and kicked the first three scores in the opening 12 minutes.
Roche raised the roof when he landed the first from play off his left in front of the stand, while scores from Damon Larkin and Evan O'Carroll, from 50 metres out, soon followed.
Longford grew into it though and retained possession for long spells before striking back.
Ryan Moffett got the first after a misplaced pass by Laois in defence and then Cathal McCabe cut the gap to one in the 18th minute.
That would actually be Longford's final score of the half, but they did create the clearest goal opportunity.
A long ball in was won by Jayson Matthews and that left him one on one with Roche, but the Killeshin man dived the right way and saved his effort.
The hosts finished the half well with Roche and Larkin pointing before O'Carroll landed two late frees to leave them with a 0-7 to 0-2 interval lead.
Laois almost had a goal when play resumed, but Niall Corbet's shot was blocked and Longford countered where Joe Hagan punched over.
Roche replied with another sensational point from play but a Darren Gallagher free left four between them after 42 minutes.
And that would be back to one by the 46th minute when Longford were awarded a penalty.
Longford pounced on a wayward Laois kick, where Cathal McCabe was eventually fouled by Seamus Lacey and Darren Gallagher scored from the spot.
Laois's character was tested now but they had a response as Roche slotted a free and then they raised a green flag of their own, Larkin finishing brilliantly after a neat pass from Mark Timmons.
Both sides then had goal chances that they didn't take in the minutes that followed.
James Kelly blazed wide for Laois before Jayson Matthews had an open goal for Longford but he couldn't sort his feet out and missed the ball completely.
Roche pointed for the fifth time and although Cathal McCabe responded, a Mark Barry point left Laois 1-12 to 1-6 up in the 61st minute.
They played keep ball for four minutes after that, but then sub Danny O'Reilly got black carded for an off the ball incident and Longford had an extra player for the time that remained.
They got a point back through Mark Hughes before Darren Gallagher spurned a late goal opportunity.
Laois looked to have killed the game in the second minute of that when Seamus Lacey finished after sub Ciaran Burke's shot had been blocked, but it was ruled out for a square ball.
Longford fired in a long ball, and it broke to sub Dylan Farrell who drilled it to the net, but there was time for no more as Laois pick up a valuable two points.
Laois: Killian Roche 0-5 (0-2f); Ben Dempsey, Seamus Lacey, James Kelly; Eoin Buggie, Mark Timmons, Brian Byrne; Conor Heffernan, Damon Larkin 1-02; Kevin Swayne, Niall Dunne, Shaun Fitzpatrick; Mark Barry 0-2 (0-1f), Evan O’Carroll 0-3 (0-2f),, Niall Corbet.
Subs: Eoin Lowry for Corbet (42), Danny O'Reilly for Buggie (62), Sean O'Flynn for Larkin (67), Ciaran Burke for Heffernan (70), Mikie Dempsey for Dunne (71)
Longford: Paddy Collum; Patrick Fox, Oisin O'Toole, Bryan Masterson; Barry O'Farrell, Micky Quinn, Ryan Moffett 0-1; Darren Gallagher 1-1 (1-0 pen, 0-1 free),, Daire Duggan; Iarla O'Sullivan, Joe Hagan 0-1, Keelin McGann; Daniel Reynolds, Jayson Matthews, Cathal McCabe 0-02.
Subs: Mark Hughes 0-1 (0-1m) for O'Farrell (half-time), Dylan Farrell 1-0 for Duggan (60), Liam Hughes for O'Sullivan (67, inj)
Referee: Kieran Eannetta (Tyrone)
