All Ireland Football Round 1A Qualifier

Laois 1-10 Armagh 0-10

By Paul Keane at O'Moore Park, Portlaoise

Conor Meredith's first-half wonder goal was a worthy match winner as Laois bounced back from their Leinster championship exit to keep alive their All-Ireland football qualifier challenge.

Meredith struck the net after a speedy solo run that left Armagh's Ciaran McKeever in his wake and the strike separated the sides at full-time.

Donie Kingston also contributed four points, while goalkeeper Graham Brody and defenders Gearoid Hanrahan and Kieran Lillis had fine games in a tight and intense Round 1A contest.

Stubborn Armagh reduced their arrears to just a single point in the 62nd minute and it remained that way entering injury-time.

But injury-time Laois points from substitutes Jamie Farrell and Ross Munnelly sealed a slightly flattering three-point win for the hosts.

It's the end of the road this year for Armagh, who suffered relegation to Division 3 of the Allianz League and followed that up with disappointing Championship losses to Cavan and now Laois.

Both sides held the lead at different stages of the first-half though neither ever looked like pulling clear in a defensively minded affair.

Armagh led 0-3 to 0-2 when Meredith scored Laois' goal in the 16th minute. It was a contender for goal of the Championship as Meredith sprinted clear of McKeever down the left of the field and unleashed a bullet left-footed shot to the top right corner.

It looked like the moment which might ignite Laois, but was a rare moment of inspiration and they added just two more points in the remaining 20 minutes or so before the break.

Armagh fought back to level terms at 1-2 to 0-5 in the 21st minute thanks to back to back converted frees from Stefan Campbell.

The sides were level four times in the first-half in total and went into the interval deadlocked on 1-4 to 0-7.

Campbell was Armagh's principal attacker and caused Laois' defence plenty of problems, roving around the attack and winning one of the three frees that he converted in the opening half.

In truth, it wasn't a classic contest and the sense of two sides fighting hard to avoid an early Championship exit was strong.

Laois dominated the third quarter and forced Armagh to defend with 13 in their own half for much of that period.

Kingston and David Conway kicked points before Kingston was fed by Meredith for his first point from play in the 49th minute, moving them 1-7 to 0-7 ahead.

Armagh's defensive screen, allied to a couple of terrible Laois wides, kept the Orchard men in contention and Michael McKenna's second point for the visitors left just two in it again.

Armagh sub Joe Feeney reduced the margin to just one in the 62nd minute, 1-8 to 0-10, but Laois held on and those points from Farrell and veteran Munnelly sealed the three-point win.

Scorers for Laois: D Kingston 0-4 (3fs), C Meredith 1-0, P Cahillane (1f), D Strong, D Conway, G Walsh (1f), J Farrell, R Munnelly 0-1 each.

**Scorers for Armagh: **S Campbell 0-3 (3fs), M McKenna 0-2 R Grugan 0-2, (1f), M Shields, A Forker, J Feeney 0-1 each.

Laois: G Brody; S Attride, M Timmons, G Hanrahan; D Strong, K Lillis, D O'Connor; B Quigley, K Meaney; N Donoher, P Cahillane, C Begley; C Meredith, D Kingston, D Conway.

Subs: A Farrell for Strong (44), J Farrell for Meaney (50), M Campion for Donoher (52), R Munnelly for Conway (54), G Walsh for Cahillane (58), G Dillon for Meredith (70).

Armagh: P Morrison; S Heffron, B Donaghy, J McElroy; A Mallon, M Shields, C McKeever; C Vernon, A Findon; T Kernan, R Grugan, A Forker; M McKenna, S Campbell, N Grimley.

Subs: J Morgan for Shields (17), J Feeney for Forker (45), G McParland for Grimley (45), J Hall for Kernan (54), T Kernan for McKenna (58).

Referee: A Nolan (Wicklow).