NFL Division 3
Laois 0-22 Antrim 1-17
Antrim hopes of promotion from Division 3 were shattered in O’Moore Park, Portlaoise on Saturday evening following an agonising defeat to Laois.
Andy McEntee’s Antrim started well and a goal from Conor Hand and points from Dominic McEnhill saw them lead 1-4 to 0-3 after 13 minutes.
A Killian Roche 2 pointer saw the hosts close the gap to three but Antrim were still calling the shots as Paddy McBride, McEnhill and Niall Burns split the uprights and another two pointer from Mick Byrne had the Saffrons six ahead after 22 minutes.
Laois finished the half strongly with Mark Barry and Niall Corbet hitting a flurry of points and at the half way stage the Antrim lead had been reduced to a single point, 1-9 to 0-11.
Conhuir Johnston extended the Antrim lead with his first touch of the second half and another from keeper, Mick Byrne had the visitors three in front in the opening minute.
Corbet and Barry replied for the O’Moore Park side to leave just one it once more by the 15th minute before the Saffrons were reduced to 14 men after Kavan Keenan collected a second yellow card.
Laois pushed home their numerical advantage with Mark Barry and Danny O’Reilly pushing them ahead for the first time since the 8th minute but Niall |Burns replied for the visitors to leave it all square at 1-12 to 0-15.
Play swung in favour of the home side with Brian Byrne and the elusive Barry on target in a dominant spell before Dominic McEnhill reduced the arrears to one with a point in the 25th minute.
It was Laoise who pushed on as the game entered the closing stage with the excellent Mark Barry and Damon Larkin moving them into what looked like an unassailable six point lead by the 28th minute.
The visitors refused to throw in the towel and finished strongly with Dermot McAleese and Paddy McBride raising Orange flags to leave just two between the sides but that would be as close as they got.
A win here would have left Andy McEntee’s side still in the promotion race but Antrim now find themselves looking over their shoulders and will probably need something from the forthcoming visit of Sligo if they are to maintain their division 3 status for next season.
Scorers for Laois: M Barry 0-8 (5f), N Corbet 0-4, D Larkin 0-3, P Kirwan and K Roche (2pt free) 0-2 each, B Byrne, B Dempsey and D O’Reilly 0-1 each.
Scorers for Antrim: N Burns, P McBride (one two-pointer), M Byrne (two-point free, one 45) and D McEnhill (one free) 0-3 each, C Hand 1-0, R McQuillan and D McAleese (two pointer) 0-2 each, C Johnston 0-1
LAOIS: K Roche; S Fingleton, T Collins, B Dempsey; P Kirwan, B Byrne, S Lacey; C Heffernan, D Larkin; D O’Reilly, R Coffey, K Swayne; M Barry, J Hogan, N Corbet. Subs: P O’Sullivan for Swayne (65), F Holland for Corbet (68), R Brady for Hogan (72), S O’Neill for O’Reilly (73)
ANTRIM: M Byrne; E McCabe, E Walsh, K Keenan; J Finnegan, J Lenehan, D McAleese; C Hand, E Quinn; P McBride, N Burns, F Nagle; R McQuillan, C Johnston, D McEnhill. Subs: C Stewart for Quinn (ht), R Murray for Johnston (46), N Hynds for Hand (67)
REFEREE: Jonathan Hayes (Limerick)