Sport

Laois resist late rally

Laois 0-21 Antrim 1-16: Despite a spirited closing rally at Casement Park on Saturday, Antrim slipped into deeper relegation…

Mon Jul 11 2005 - 01:00

Laois 0-21 Antrim 1-16: Despite a spirited closing rally at Casement Park on Saturday, Antrim slipped into deeper relegation trouble as they lost to a lively Laois team in the Section A Liam McCarthy Cup qualifier.

The game was interesting throughout because of the closeness of the scoring with the teams level eight times. Antrim nosed in front on a few occasions; one of those was in the 17th minute when Johnny McIntosh fired to the Laois net to give Antrim a 1-3 to 0-5 lead.

McIntosh put Antrim in front again in the 21st minute but the secret of Laois's success was the fact they hit back when danger signals flashed. James Young was accurate from placed balls, finishing with eight points.

The game was all square at the break, 1-7 to 0-10, and Young again pointed for Laois two minutes after the restart. Long-range points by the visitors put Laois 0-14 to 1-9 in front by the 49th minute but Karl McKeegan rifled over his second of three 65s and Michael Herron put the sides level again on 51 minutes.

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Laois then surged clear by adding six points to Antrim's one in eight minutes. Antrim responded by outscoring Laois by four points to one. However, the home side also had three wides in the closing minutes.

Laois now face Dublin with Antrim playing Offaly in the play-offs to determine who stays in the Liam McCarthy Cup next year and who drops to the Christy Ring Cup.

LAOIS: P Mullaney; J Walsh, P Cuddy, M McEvoy; J Fitzpatrick, P Mahon, S Dwyer; J Walsh (0-2), J Phelan (0-1); J Rowney (0-2), L Tynan (0-3), J Young (0-8, six frees, one from 65); T Fitzgerald (0-1), M Rooney (0-2), D Culleton. Subs: C Healy for Mahon (43 mins), E Meagher (0-1) for Phelan (43 mins), C Brophy (0-1) for Walsh (58 mins), P Russell for Rowney (67 mins).

ANTRIM: DD Quinn; M Kettle, K Kelly, A Ó Cairealláin; G Cunningham, J Campbell, C Herron; M Scullion, J Connolly (0-1); K McKeegan (0-3, all from 65s), M Herron (0-1), K Stewart; J McIntosh (1-7, three frees), P Richmond (0-1), A Delargy (0-1). Subs: C Cunning for Kelly (1 min), J Scullion (0-1) for Ó Cairealláin (10 mins); B Quinn (0-1) for Delargy (53 mins).

Referee: P Greene (Galway).