Laois lose their way in the fog

Westmeath 1-11 Laois 1-9:Westmeath caused a surprise by claiming a hard-fought win over Laois in a hugely exciting opener played amid a shroud of thick fog at Cusack Park yesterday.

The home side were firing on all cylinders in the early stages, scoring 1-2 inside the first six minutes. Influential midfielder Martin Flanagan opened the scoring with a sumptuous point and then Dessie Dolan clinically drove the ball to the Laois net after a pin-point pass from the impressive Derek Heavin.

A mix-up in the Westmeath defence gifted a goal to Laois in the 21st minute.

Gary Connaughton's short kickout, aimed towards Michael Ennis, was intercepted by Brian "Beano" McDonald and the Laois full forward coolly finished the ball to the net.

With midfielder Pádraig Clancy becoming more prominent, Laois gradually gained a foothold in the game, but Westmeath still led by three points at half-time, l-8 to 1-5.

Tempers flared as both sets of players headed for the tunnel at half-time, before order was restored without major incident.

The excellent Fergal Wilson extended Westmeath's lead shortly after the restart, but Liam Kearns' men began to dominate as the half wore on. With visibility deteriorating even further, Laois put the Westmeath defence under fierce pressure in a high-octane finish.

Clinging on to a one-point lead, Tomás Ó Flatharta's side were defending desperately.

However, the visitors just couldn't get an equaliser as both Flanagan and Connaughton made superb fetches under the crossbar.

And the previously wasteful Denis Glennon sealed Westmeath's win by handpassing the ball over the bar in injury-time.

WESTMEATH: G Connaughton; F Boyle, D O'Donoghue, M Ennis; A Rigney, K Gavin, D Heavin; M Flanagan (0-1), P Bannon; F Wilson (0-3), D Dolan (1-3, 0-3 frees), J Smyth; P Tormey (0-1), A Mangan (0-2), D Glennon (0-1). Subs: D Healy for Bannon (21 mins), J Farrell for Tormey (55 mins).

LAOIS: F Byron; C Ryan, D Rooney, P O'Leary; T Kelly, K Fitzpatrick, B McCormack (0-1); P Clancy (0-1), B Quigley; D Murphy, P Lawlor (0-2, 1 free ), G Kavanagh; R Munnelly (0-1, free), B McDonald (1-3, 0-3 frees), C Parkinson (0-1). Subs: B Sheehan for Kavanagh (28 mins), C Conway for Murphy (half-time), K Meaney for Parkinson (51 mins), R Stapleton for Fitzpatrick (63 mins), M Tierney for Quigley (66 mins).

Referee: J McKee (Armagh).