All Ireland Senior Hurling Championship preliminary round

LAOIS 2-27 ANTRIM 2-21

By Paul Keane at Parnell Park

Brave Laois dug deep and summoned their best performance of the year to see off a determined Antrim and secure their own place in the Liam MacCarthy Cup for 2022.

Paddy Purcell's 2-2 haul was decisive as Laois prevailed to take their place in Monday's All-Ireland qualifier draw though just as significant is the fact that they will remain in the top flight for another season after this preliminary round win.

Leading by 11 points with 41 minutes played, it looked like it was going to be plain sailing for 'Cheddar' Plunkett's side but they were pushed all the way by Antrim who reduced the deficit to just two.

Ross King's 49th minute dismissal rocked Laois and they lost full-back Sean Downey to a 45th minute sin-binning also as the Saffrons rallied.

Just two points separated the teams at the second water break but the interval allowed Laois to gather themselves and they outscored Antrim by 1-6 to 0-5 in the final quarter to progress in the Championship, consigning Antrim to the Joe McDonagh Cup in 2022.

Purcell's second goal approaching the hour mark was crucial as it allowed the 2019 All-Ireland quarter-finalists to finally breathe out after a massive Antrim fightback while PJ Scully top scored with 0-10 and there was a huge display in goals from Enda Rowland.

Laois hadn't previously won a game with Plunkett in charge since April of 2016 when they beat Westmeath in a relegation play-off to stay in Division 1.

They will complete their 2021 campaign against the same opposition in August with the Leinster counties set to meet again in a Division 1 relegation decider.

Laois will fancy their chances in that one after this all action, ultra intense display. They were on it from the very beginning, Podge Delaney booming over the opening score after just 10 seconds. King added a second shortly after and straight away Laois were up and running.

Charles Dwyer was their only forward that didn't get on the scoresheet in the first-half as Laois pinned Antrim down with a relentless vigour.

There were unanswered bursts of three and then four points in a row to open up a 0-11 to 0-4 lead at the first water break.

Free-taker Ciaran Clarke, James McNaughton and Conal Cunning responded with Antrim scores to cut the deficit to four.

But Laois took off again and hit the interval with a commanding 1-17 to 0-10 lead, the crucial goal coming from Purcell in stoppage time.

It was a score that summed up both their industry and craft, Antrim midfielder Ciaran Johnston hustled and harried into losing possession and Purcell eventually running clear and planting a shot in the top right corner.

Antrim rallied in the third quarter, however, and aided by those Laois dismissals got the margin down to just two. Sub Eoin O'Neill netted twice for Antrim though McManus couldn't convert from the spot after Conor Johnston was hauled down by Downey.

The second water break came just in time for Laois who were able to compose themselves and they began the final quarter with three points in a row from Jack Kelly, Scully and Willie Dunphy.

They were important scores that settled Laois and Purcell's goal put them seven clear, giving them a vital cushion in the run-in.

Scorers for Laois: PJ Scully 0-10 (0-7f, 0-2 s/l), Paddy Purcell 2-2, Podge Delaney 0-3, Willie Dunphy 0-3, Jack Kelly 0-3, Ross King 0-2, Ciaran Collier 0-1, Ciaran McEvoy 0-1, Fiachra C Fennell 0-1, Charles Dwyer 0-1

Scorers for Antrim: Ciaran Clarke 0-8 (0-7f, 0-1 65), Eoin O'Neill 2-0, Neil McManus 0-4, Keelan Molloy 0-3, Conal Cunning 0-2, James McNaughton 0-2 (0-1f), Conor Johnston 0-1, Shane Elliott 0-1.

Laois: Enda Rowland; Donnchadh Hartnett, Sean Downey, Lee Cleere; Podge Delaney, Ciaran McEvoy, Ryan Mullaney; Fiachra C Fennell, Jack Kelly; Paddy Purcell, Willie Dunphy, Ciaran Collier; Charles Dwyer, PJ Scully, Ross King.

Subs: James Ryan for Mullaney 53, Eanna Lyons for Collier 58, James Keyes for Purcell 65, Aaron Dunphy for Willie Dunphy 72, Ciaran Comerford for Dwyer 75.

Antrim: Ryan Elliott; Damon McMullan, Stephen Rooney, Gerard Walsh; Eoghan Campbell, Paddy Burke, Aodhan O'Brien; Keelan Molloy, Ciaran Johnston; Neil McManus, Michael Bradley, James McNaughton; Conor Johnston, Conal Cunning, Ciaran Clarke.

Subs: Aaron Crawford for McMullan 18, Joe Maskey for Campbell h/t, Eoin O'Neill for Bradley h/t, Shane Elliott for Conor Johnston 59, Matthew Donnelly for O'Brien 71.

Referee: Sean Cleere (Kilkenny).