Laois are back in the race for the Joe McDonagh Cup after they defeated Antrim in O'Moore Park on Saturday afternoon.
Inspired by Stephen 'Picky' Maher, who finished with 0-13, Tommy Fitzgerald’s side inflicted a seven-point defeat upon Davy Fitzgerald’s men.
After a Round 1 loss to Down, this defeat leaves Antrim in a perilous position while Laois, following their opening defeat to Carlow, are back on track.
Antrim played with the breeze in the first half and began well as Conal Cunning and Ryan McCambridge pointed. But the home side rocked them in the second minute when a fine solo run from Tomas Keyes ended with Cillian Dunne firing to the net.
Stephen Maher and Martin Phelan pointed after that but Antrim recovered well from that set back and would lead by half time.
Two from James McNaughton as well as scores from McCambridge, Sean Elliott and Paul Boyle moved them 0-08 to 1-03 ahead after 14 minutes.
Laois drew level by the midpoint of the half via Phelan and Maher before a free from Maher gave them the advantage once more.
James McNaughton levelled the game but Laois then had a great goal chance when Tomas Keyes got through only for Cormac McFadden to pull off a fine save. That was in the 20th minute and Antrim just edged the remaining 15 minutes.
Elliott was steady on frees while McCambridge and McNaughton also split the posts.Laois finished the half very well though with scores from Ian Shanahan and Fiachra C Fennell cutting the gap to the minimum at the break, 0-15 to 1-11.
Eoin O’Neill extended Antrim’s lead when play resumed but Laois drew level by the 40th minute thanks to free from Maher and a great score from Cillian Dunne. Both sides missed chances after that before Maher put Laois ahead after 46 minutes when half time sub Gearoid Lynch was fouled.
He extended that further after a high tackle on Cillian Dunne two minutes later. But an Antrim score from Elliott left it 1-15 to 0-17 as we entered the final 20 minutes.
Laois almost had another goal then but both Ben Conroy and David Dooley saw efforts blocked. Tomas Keyes then had one saved with Maher pointing the resulting 65. However three Sean Elliott scores in a row, two of them frees, gave Antrim a 0-20 to 1-16 lead after 54 minutes.
Incredibly, the Saffrons failed to score for the next period as Laois added 1-06 without reply.
Tomas Keyes tied the game again soon after and then Maher’s 12th point, his third 65, gave Laois the advantage once more with captain David Dooley and Cillian Dunne extending it to three as we entered the final ten minutes.
Maher made it five points in a row before Laois claimed their second goal which was made by the former and finished by his clubmate Cillian Dunne.
Sub James Keyes added another point and all of a sudden, Laois led by eight points.
James McNaughton ended Antrim’s 13-minute scoreless spell with a free but Maher replied instantly with one of his own.
Antrim finished with a score from Jack McCloskey but Laois were worthy winners.
Laois: Eoin Reilly; Ian Shanahan (0-01), Podge Delaney, Lee Cleere; Ciaran McEvoy, Fiachra C Fennell (0-01), Ryan Mullaney; David Dooley (0-01), Aidan Corby; Stephen Maher (0-13, 8fs, 3 '65s'), Tomas Keyes (0-01), Aaron Dunphy; Martin Phelan (0-02), Ben Conroy, Cillian Dunne (2-02).
Subs: Gearoid Lynch for Corby (HT), James Keyes (0-1) for Dunphy (50), Mark Dowling (0-01) for Conroy (58), Jack Kelly for Dunne (66), Cormac Byrne for Maher (69)
Antrim: Cormac McFadden; Ryan McNulty, Paddy Burke, Stephen Rooney; Oisin Donnelly, Niall O’Connor, Joe Maskey; Eoin O’Neill (0-01), Paul Boyle (0-01); Keelan Molloy (0-01), Ryan McCambridge (0-03), Conal Cunning (0-01); James McNaughton (0-06, 3fs), Ruairi Donaghy, Sean Elliott (0-08, 7fs).
Subs: Conal Bohill for Donaghy (42), Conor Johnston for O’Neill (46), Jack McCloskey (0-1) for Boyle (62), Ruairi McCormack for McNulty (65), Joseph McLoughlin for Elliott (66)
Referee: Caymon Flynn (Westmeath)
Meanwhile, Down made it two wins from two in the Joe McDonagh Cup with a hard-fought but ultimately comfortable 2-23 to 2-17 win over London.
Ronán Sheehan's side, hoping to build on their brilliant Round 1 over Antrim, opened in perfect fashion in Ballycran as Daithí Sands found the net and four scores from four different players – Barry Trainor, Tom McGrattan, Pearse Óg McCrickard and Cathal Coleman – had the hosts seven points up after as many minutes.
London started to settle from there, Tom Hanifin opening their account, while Ronan McGrady landed a series of frees.
Donal Hughes – the hero in the Ulster derby last week – landed three points in a row and, and with McCrickard and goalkeeper Pearse Smyth also on target from frees, Down led 1-13 to 0-11 at half-time.
The opening second-half skirmishes were even as the sides equally shared the opening eight points, but Coleman’s goal in the 52nd minute pushed Down nine points clear.
London showed plenty of heart in the final stages, though, with Jack Morrissey goaling on the hour before Sean Glynn added their second major deep into additional time.
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