Longford manager Denis Connerton lamented his team's concession of four goals either side of half time in to Laois on Sunday as "football suicide".
The hosts came out on top at O'Moore Park on a 4-15 to 0-16 scoreline in the Leinster SFC preliminary round clash thanks to goals from brothers Paul (2) and Donie Kingston and Alan Farrell.
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"It's all about goals today," Connerton told RTÉ Sport. "We scored 16 points and would have been quite happy coming here to do that.
"But the four goals we conceded in the space before and after half-time, I think it added up to three minutes of play, and that is footballing suicide.
"That's what killed us off and there was no way back after that. We handed the game to Laois in that time.
"We thought we had got a point and that little bit of controversy, our lads seem to lose their concentration for a little bt of time.
"Laois' execution of their opportunities was top-class. I think they only had three wides over the course of the game and we had 10."
Connerton will now hope to mastermind a run in the qualifiers to match last season's notable wins over Down and Monaghan.
"We prepared very well for the Leinster championship this year and thought we were in a very good place coming into it," he reflected.
"Unfortunately, that's not how it has turned out. It's disappointing for us and our players.
"We're into the qualifiers. We'll have to lift ourselves and that will not be easy but that's my job now.
"Robbie Smyth was outstanding with 11 points and he deserves something out of that game but unfortunately we hadn't enough of those heroic performances on the day.
"You need those if you want to be coming to a ground like Portlaoise and beating them.
For Laois manager Peter Creedon, the victory was a satisfying response to their surprise relegation to Division 4 of the Allianz Football League for next season.
"The league was very poor on our behalf but we got a few players back from injury and I thought we played quite well today," he said.
"Fair play to our players. They had to be mentally strong today to get over the disappointment of the league and they did that.
"Our lads used the ball well and we sprayed the ball around better than we had been doing in the league.
"Donie Kingston is obviously a threat up front and Paul did well but the fourth goal was the most pleasing because it was a team goal from one end of the field to the other.
"It was a good win and sets it up for the game against Kildare. That's a nice challenge for us and something to look forward to on Sunday week.
"Kildare are a very quick team and obviously they're gone up to Division 1 so it'll be a big step-up for us.
Creedon said that he was hopeful captain Stephen Attritide's ankle injury would not prove too serious despite the half-back limping off the pitch.
