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Allianz FL D4: Laois secure promotion

John Sugrue has guided Laois to successive promotions in the Allianz Football League. 

John Sugrue has guided Laois to successive promotions in the Allianz Football League. 

Allianz Football League Division Four

LAOIS 1-6 CARLOW 0-8

WATERFORD 1-16 LONDON 1-14

ANTRIM 1-13 LIMERICK 0-12

LEITRIM 2-15 WICKLOW 0-10

By Declan Rooney

A second-minute goal from Gary Walsh laid the foundation for **Laois **as they secured promotion to Division Three with 1-6 to 0-8 victory over **Carlow **at Netwatch Cullen Park.

With Carlow already promoted following their perfect six out of six wins before this clash, Laois needed the points to guarantee promotion with Antrim close on their heels. In the end Laois emerged narrowly.

Despite still having only played six game, Laois cannot now be caught by Antrim, who must be satisfied to put their promotion dreams on hold for another 12 months.

After Walsh’s early goal the teams went point for point until Laois opened out a 1-4 to 0-2 lead after 20 minutes, with Paul Broderick scoring both of Carlow’s early points. Broderick continued to lead the line for Turlough O’Brien’s side and he kicked another three frees – he scored all eight of their points – which helped his side to a 1-5 to 0-5 interval deficit.

Laois were hit with a big blow when Kieran Lillis was sent off for a second bookable offence early in the second-half and Carlow then cut their lead to two points when Broderick scored again.

That advantage was down to one with five minutes remaining, but a free from Donie Kingston – Laois’s only point of the second-half – saw Laois hold on to win and set up a rematch between the sides in next Saturday’s Division Four final.

That Laois win meant Antrim could not catch the top two, but the Saffrons still did their best to reach Division Three with a 1-13 to 0-12 win over **Limerick **in Newcastle West.

Limerick had looked bright early on and raced into a 0-3 to 0-0 lead, before Paddy McBride finally got Antrim on the board in the 12th minute. With McBride and Paddy Murray on target Antrim briefly took the lead, but the home side managed to wrestle control again and led 0-7 to 0-5 at half-time.

But a goal from Matthew Fitzpatrick in the first minute after the restart gave the Ulster men the lead 1-5 to 0-7, while Peter Healy and Murray added further scores as Antrim took control and they eventually ran out 1-13 to 0-12 winners.

There was a significant result for **Waterford **in Ruislip as a 1-9 haul from Jason Curry gave Tom McGlinchey’s side a first win of the campaign.

Killian Butler scored 1-3 for **London **who brought their league season of home games to a conclusion with a narrow 1-16 to 1-13 defeat.

The Waterford win came despite the loss of Paul Walsh to a red card in the second-half and the fact that they trailed by 1-10 to 0-7 at half-time – and nine points at one stage in the first period.

Curry’s five frees kept Waterford in touch as Butler and Fearghal McMahon piled on the scores for the home side before the interval, but in a huge swing the Deise men charged back and claimed a deserved win.

Keith Beirne and Emlyn Mulligan netted goals for Leitrim, who were convincing victors against Wicklow.