Laois got the better of Antrim to give themselves a slight sniff of a Division 1 quarter-final spot after a five-point win over Antrim in Saturday's Allianz HL Division 1B clash at O'Moore Park.
The result means that Antrim are almost assured of finishing in the bottom two in the section and will have a relegation scrap on their hands.
Captain Ross King was the Laois hero here, scoring 16 points in a near flawless performance.
And while Antrim kept the game alive with two second-half goals, the home side always seemed to have the upper hand and were nine up at one stage in the second half.
Four points from the outstanding Neil McManus helped Antrim into a 0-4 to 0-1 lead after 10 minutes but three really well-struck frees from Laois captain Ross King had the sides level midway through the half.
And Laois built on that momentum with Dwyer, Neil Foyle, James Ryan and debutant Ciaran Comerford all finding the range to open up a 0-9 to 0-5 lead.
Antrim hit back with three in a row, from McManus, Nigel Elliott and Conor Johnston but Laois finished the half strong with two more from King and a pair of monstrous long-range frees from goalkeeper Enda Rowland helping them to a 0-13 to 0-8 lead at the break.
Laois pushed nine points clear early in the second half but a 48th minute goal from Antrim sub Donal Campbell threw them a lifeline and McManus’s frees brought it back to four.
But Laois rallied the storm well and although Nigel Elliott got a second goal for Antrim, King hit a string of fine points to see Laois win by five.
LAOIS: E Rowland (0-2, 2f); D Hartnett, L Bergin, L Cleere; P Lawlor, M Whelan, E Killeen; P Purcell (0-1), J Ryan (0-2); B Conroy, C Dwyer (0-2), W Dunphy; R King (0-16, 14f), N Foyle (0-2), C Comerford (0-1).
Subs: J Phelan for Killeen (50), M Kavanagh (0-1, sc) for Comerford (53), S Downey for Foyle (58), C Taylor for Conroy (61), J Kelly for Dunphy (65)
ANTRIM: C O'Connell; A Graffin, J Dillon, P Burke; R McCambridge, N McAuley (0-1), D Kearney; J Maskey, C McKinley; N Elliott (1-1), N McManus (0-11, 9f), D McKinley; J McNaughton, C McCann, C Johnston (0-1).
Subs: D Campbell (1-1) for McCann (half-time), C Carson for McNaughton (44), S Rooney for Kearney (46), G Walsh for Maskey (47), M Connolly (0-01) for McKinley (47)
Referee: J Murphy (Limerick)
