Laois 1-15 2-14 Down

Brendan Quigley gets to grips with Ronan Murtagh at Portlaoise

Down survived a second-half Laois comeback to win by 2-14 to 1-15 in Saturday night's All-Ireland qualifier second round tie at Portlaoise.

Down dominated the first half and led 2-11 to 0-8 at the interval with goals from John Clarke and Benny Coulter.

Laois started the second half brightly and teenager Donal Kingston found the net before Dan Gordon was harshly sent-off for a foul on Padraig Clancy.

Ross Munnelly scored four points as Laois pressurised but Down held on.

Aidan Carr and Kevin McKernan got Down off to a flying start with early points but Brian McCormack replied for the home side.

Coulter pointed before Clarke finished off a fine move involving Gordon and Coulter for Down's first goal.

Coulter, Paul Murphy, Carr, John Fegan, Ambrose Rogers and McKernan all got on the scoresheet as the Mournemen bossed proceedings.

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Coulter's 25th-minute goal from an inside pass served to emphasise Down's superiority.

McCormack, Kingston and Billy Sheehan kept Laois within striking distance by scoring points with 17-year-old Kingston instrumental.

McCormack set up Kingston for his 37th-minute goal and then Munnelly was introduced as a substitute, a move which proved inspirational.

Ten minutes into the second period Down skipper Gordon was red-carded for a challenge on Clancy but Ronan Murtagh responded with a point to boost morale among Ross Carr's men.

McCormack and Munnelly spearheaded the Laois revival, as they reduced their deficit to two points, with Carr landing a second-half free and then McKernan pointed to give his side some breathing space at 2-14 to 1-14.

Munnelly scored the final point of the match but it should perhaps have been a goal as he bore in on goal.

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Laois: M Nolan; C Healy, D Rooney, J Higgins; P O'Leary, T Kelly, P McMahon; B Quigley, P Clancy; B Brennan, B McCormack, B Sheehan; C Parkinson, C Kelly, D Kingston.

Down: B McVeigh; L Howard, M Cole, K McGuigan; A Carr, C Murney, P Murphy; D Gordon, A Rogers; K McKernan, B Coulter, D Hughes; J Clarke, R Murtagh, J Fegan.