Armagh 0-15 Laois 1-13
Laois survived a strong final-quarter comeback from Armagh to pick up a first league win in Division Two.
Both sides were desperate for the points having lost their opening fixtures and Laois recovered from last week's crushing eight-point home defeat by Galway to secure a hugely important victory in the Athletic Grounds.
The visitors led by 1-10 to 0-6 after 47 minutes, but Armagh played their best stuff in the last quarter, the chances they'd missed earlier in the game suddenly began finding the target, and Stefan Campbell led the charge with seven points.
Laois struggled to hold on and they finished with 14 men after James Farrell picked up a second yellow card in the 67th minute, but they were relieved to stumbled over the line.
The defeat pushed Armagh, who still have four bruising Ulster derbies to come in this division, into relegation trouble but the couple of weeks' break in league activity has come at a good time for Kieran McGeeney.
Paul Cahillane's confidently-struck penalty in the 13th minute put Laois ahead for the first time and it was a lead they held for the rest of the game.
They had the benefit of a strong wind in the first half and held a four-point interval lead.
Three Campbell frees in the opening nine minutes had Armagh 0-3 to 0-1 ahead but Cahillane's penalty, after Gary Walsh was tugged back in the square, was the turning point.
Laois warmed to their task, Donie Kingston becoming an influential figure closer to goals, and he scored twice from play to stretch their lead.
Armagh made a lot of basic errors in the first half and the visitors looked comfortable at 1-7 to 0-6 ahead at the break.
Laois piled the pressure on with points from Niall Donoher, Evan O'Carroll and another Cahillane free to pull clear at 1-10 to 0-6 ahead after 47 minutes.
It looked bleak for Armagh, but corner-back Shea Heffron popped up with their first score of the second half in the 47th minute and after three points inside 90 seconds, two Micheal McKenna and another by Stefan Campbell, the comeback was on.
Donie Kingston's free stopped the rot but it was brief respite for Laois, with points from Niall Grimley, Campbell and Ethan Rafferty bringing Armagh to within a point.
Evan O'Carroll boomed over a '45' for Laois and the intensity began to fade out of Armagh's comeback.
Despite two late points from Campbell, his last coming four minutes into injury-time, time ran out on Armagh.
Scorers for Armagh – S Campbell 0-7 (4f), M McKenna 0-3, E Rafferty 0-1, A Forker 0-1, G McParland 0-1 (f), S Heffron 0-1, N Grimley 0-1. Laois – P Cahillane 1-2 (pen, 2f), D Kingston 0-5 (3f), E O'Carroll 0-3 (one '45'), M Campion 0-1, N Donoher 0-1, G Walsh 0-1 (f)
ARMAGH: M McNeice; S Heffron, C Vernon, R McCaughey; S Forker, A Forker, M Shields; A Findon, S Sheridan; S Campbell, M McKenna, N McConville; C Watters, C O'Hanlon, G McParland.
Subs: E Rafferty for McConville (HT), E McVerry for McParland (46), N Grimley for Sheridan (50), J McElroy for S Forker (60), O MacIomhair for Watters (62), S Connell for McCaughey (68).
LAOIS: G Brody; R Kehoe, M Timmons, D Seale; D Strong, P Cotter, G Dillon; K Lillis, K Meaney; J Farrell, D Kingston, N Donoher; P Cahillane, E O'Carroll, G Walsh.
Subs: M Campion for Meaney (17), A Farrell for Cotter (BC, 33), D O'Connor for Strong (52), D O'Reilly for Walsh (55), R O'Connor for Campion (58)
REFEREE: Barry Cassidy (Derry)
