Allianz Football League Division II: Armagh 0-15 Laois 1-13

 
By Orla Bannon
 
Laois withstood Armagh's second-half comeback in the Athletic Grounds to secure a hugely important opening win in Division II of the Allianz Football League.
 
The visitors led by seven points early in the second half but Armagh, with a strong wind at their backs after the break, found a new gear in the final quarter.
 
They fought back to within a point when Ethan Rafferty's long-range left-footed score brought them to 0-13 to 1-11 behind in the 61st minute – that after Stefan Campbell and Micheal McKenna had engineered some great scores to ignite the fightback.
 
Both sides were desperate for the points having lost their opening fixtures last weekend and Laois, who suffered a crushing eight-point home defeat by Galway, found their mental resolve under question again.
 
Somehow they survived. Evan O'Carroll nailed a '45' and Donie Kingston kicked a nerveless free to push Armagh, who still have four bruising Ulster derbies to come in this division, into relegation trouble.
 
Laois led by 1-10 to 0-6 after 47 minutes, but Armagh improved in the last quarter, the chances they'd missed earlier in the game suddenly were finding the target, and Stefan Campbell led the charge with seven points.
 
Laois struggled to hold on and they finished with 14 men after James Farrell picked up a second yellow card in the 67th minute, but they stumbled over the line.
 
Paul Cahillane's confidently-struck penalty in the 13th minute put Laois ahead for the first time and it was a lead they held for the rest of the game.
 
They had the benefit of a strong wind in the first half and held a four-point interval lead.
 
Three Campbell frees in the opening nine minutes had Armagh 0-3 to 0-1 ahead but Paul Cahillane's penalty, after Gary Walsh was tugged back in the square, was a turning point.
 
Laois warmed to their task, Donie Kingston becoming an influential figure closer to goals, and he scored twice from play to stretch their lead.
 
Armagh made a lot of basic handling and passing errors but Colm Watters had a great goal chance which was superbly tipped one-handed onto the crossbar by Laois goalkeeper Graham Brody.
 
Laois were 1-7 to 0-6 up at the break and piled the pressure on with points from Niall Donoher, Evan O'Carroll and another Cahillane free to pull clear at 1-10 to 0-6 ahead after 47 minutes.
 
Cornerback Shea Heffron popped up with Armagh's first score of the second half in the 47th minute and after three points inside 90 seconds, two Michael McKenna and another by Stefan Campbell, the comeback was on.
 
Donie Kingston's free stopped the rot but it was brief respite for Laois, with points from Niall Grimley, Campbell and Ethan Rafferty bringing Armagh to within a point.
 
Evan O'Carroll boomed over a '45' for Laois and the intensity began to fade out of Armagh's comeback, despite Campbell hitting two points late on.

*** 

Scorers for Armagh – S Campbell 0-7 (4f), M McKenna 0-3, E Rafferty 0-1, A Forker 0-1, G McParland 0-1 (f), S Heffron 0-1, N Grimley 0-1
 
Scorers for Laois – P Cahillane 1-2 (pen, 2f), D Kingston 0-5 (3f), E O'Carroll 0-3 (one '45'), M Campion 0-1, N Donoher 0-1, G Walsh 0-1 (f)
 
**ARMAGH: **M McNeice; S Heffron, C Vernon, R McCaughey; S Forker, A Forker, M Shields; A Findon, S Sheridan; S Campbell, M McKenna, N McConville; C Watters, C O'Hanlon, G McParland. Subs: E Rafferty for McConville (HT), E McVerry for McParland (46), N Grimley for Sheridan (50), J McElroy for S Forker (60), O MacIomhair for Watters (62), S Connell for McCaughey (68)
 
**LAOIS: **G Brody; R Kehoe, M Timmons, D Seale; D Strong, P Cotter, G Dillon; K Lillis, K Meaney; J Farrell, D Kingston, N Donoher; P Cahillane, E O'Carroll, G Walsh. Subs: M Campion for Meaney (17), A Farrell for Cotter (BC, 33), D O'Connor for Strong (52), D O'Reilly for Walsh (55), R O'Connor for Campion (58)
 
**REFEREE: **Barry Cassidy (Derry)