Laois' charge towards Division 3 hit a speed bump as they were beaten by Leitrim for the second year running.
Andy Moran's charges kept their own promotion hopes alive as they kicked six of the last seven points to win by one. Barry McNulty was their hero in the end as his score was the difference.
Laois went into the game needing a point to secure promotion and almost got the draw in the final kick but Mark Barry's free came back off the top of the upright. Laois played with the wind in the first half but it was Leitrim who had the better of the play early on.
Darragh Rooney and Tom Prior put them into the lead with Paul Kingston scoring in between. Evan O'Carroll and Ryan O'Rourke then swapped scores before Laois kicked the next five on the trot. Mark Barry joined the other two on the scoreboard as Laois moved 0-7 to 0-3 ahead after 24 minutes.
The half ended without a goal but it wasn't for the want of trying - with Leitrim having three clear chances. The first came the way of Darragh Rooney who forced Killian Roche into a great save - a repeat he would have to repeat to deny Ryan O'Rourke too.
And Leitrim's third saw Rooney race down the wing and cut in but he elected to pass instead of shoot and there was nobody at the back post to finish.Laois had one and it came the way of Paul Kingston.
The Arles-Killeen man turned over the ball on the 21 and chipped keeper Nevin O'Donnell but the ball somehow bounced in the muck and up onto the crossbar.Leitrim finished the half with points from Rooney and full back Donal Casey. But a late Shaun Fitzpatrick score left Laois 0-9 to 0-5 ahead at half time.
Conor Heffernan made it double scores when play resumed but then Leitrim took over, kicking three in a row through O'Rourke (2) and Rooney. Mark Barry replied but then Leitrim had another goal chance in the 45th minute.Nevin O'Donnell's kickout travelled with the wind and landed on the Laois 21.
Ryan O'Rourke won it and centred to Tom Prior who punched the ball off the crossbar. A Leitrim shot was then blocked before Tom Prior scooped a shot over the bar. But Leitrim continued as a 45 from keeper O'Donnell and a fourth from Ryan O'Rourke levelled the game after 55 minutes.
Laois's response was emphatic though as they finally scored the game's opening goal.Great work from Shaun Fitzpatrick released Evan O'Carroll who drew his man before slotting it to Paul Kingston and he dummied the keeper to score. Kingston added a point but back came Leitrim as O'Rourke and Rooney left two in it with 62 minutes on the clock.
And when Mark Plunkett scored his first three minutes later, it was now a one point game.Ryan O'Rourke drew the game level as we entered five minutes of injury time where a Mark Barry free regained the lead for Laois. But Leitrim came again sub Paul Keaney levelled it and then Barry McNulty won it.
Laois: Killian Roche; Ben Dempsey, Seamus Lacey, Sean O'Flynn; Eoin Buggie, Mark Timmons, Brian Byrne; Damon Larkin, Conor Heffernan 0-01; Kevin Swayne, Eoin Lowry, Shaun Fitzpatrick; Mark Barry 0-06 (3f), Evan O’Carroll 0-03 (2f), Paul Kingston 1-03.
Subs: Niall Corbet for Lowry (HT), Kieran Lillis for Larkin (45), Danny O'Reilly for Heffernan (65), Brian Daly for Fitzpatrick (67), Mikie Dempsey for Swayne (69)
Leitrim: Nevin O'Donnell 0-01 '45; Conor Reynolds, Donal Casey 0-01, Aidan Flynn; Pearce Dolan, Mark Diffley, Jack Foley; Jack Gilheany, Barry McNulty 0-01; Mark Plunkett 0-01, Ryan O'Rourke 0-06, Donal Wrynn; Tom Prior 0-02, Darragh Rooney 0-05f, Riordan O'Rourke.
Subs: Shane Quinn for Prior (57), Niall Walsh for R O'Rourke (63), Paul Keaney for Wrynn (66)
Referee: John Ryan (Cork)
