The some times invisible line between the summit and the basement of affairs in Division 2 was summed up at the end of this entertaining tussle of many twists before Laois finally turned for home with two precious points in their safe-keeping.

Mike Quirke’s Laois footballers recorded their first win of the campaign when they emerged with six-points to spare over Armagh at MW Hire O’Moore Park, Portlaoise, on Saturday evening.

The Mike Quirke era of Laois football began with a defeat in the opening round of the O’Byrne Cup against neighbours Offaly on Saturday.

Victory for Douglas in round 2 of the Cork IHC at Ovens last night. Ahead by three points at the interval, a second-half goal from James Moylan set them on their way.

Cork will spend the next two weekends in Croke Park after comfortably securing their place in the Super 8s with this emphatic 14-point dismissal of Laois.

Laois manager John Sugrue has named an unchanged side for tomorrow’s All-Ireland SFC fourth-round qualifier against Cork.

Laois edged out neighbours Offaly in a highly entertaining Midlands derby to seal their place in Round 4 of the All-Ireland Qualifiers.

Cian Lynch, Declan Hannon, Gearoid Hegarty, and Graeme Mulcahy have been restored to the Limerick team for tomorrow’s Munster hurling final.

Laois manager John Sugrue believes the O’Moore County must improve if they are to prolong their championship summer despite an impressive four point victory over Derry in Owenbeg on Saturday.

Both Mayo and Galway have championship debutants for Sunday’s Connacht SFC quarter-final clash in MacHale Park in Castlebar (4pm).

John Sugrue was understandably pleased but sensibly restrained after watching his Laois side make the best of a strong start to see off neighbours Carlow and claim Division 4 honours.

Laois 2-12 Limerick 0-9: Gary Walsh hit 1-6 and set up Paul Kingston for a 70th-minute goal as Laois got the John Sugrue reign off to the perfect start with a nine-point victory over Limerick.

Kildare have coasted through a Leinster football semi-final on the back of the most facile of victories over an utterly insipid Laois side in Tullamore this afternoon.

Four goals in six minutes of devastation sent Longford packing and set Laois up for a Leinster quarter-final clash with bitter rivals Kildare.

Tyrone chairperson Roisin Jordan has insisted the county executive is fully behind Mickey Harte and his team, and fully supportive of their efforts to win a first All-Ireland title since 2008.

Laois 1-16 Meath 2-13: A controversial late penalty saw Meath advance on Saturday night in Stradbally to the O’Byrne Cup semi-finals at the expense of hosts Laois.

Clare only led once in this qualifier, but they hit the front when it mattered most, landing a winner as the game slipped into stoppage time to crown a great weekend for the Banner County.

Laois 1-11 Armagh 1-10: In the end, like most recounts in a general election, there was no change.

Laois secured the dubious honour of a Leinster football quarter-final tie with Dublin in Kilkenny’s Nowlan Park early next month, but only with a deeply unimpressive and barely deserved win over Division Four opponents on home soil.

Ronan McNabb will play no part in Tyrone’s Ulster Football Championship opener against Derry on Sunday week.

Fermanagh 1-17 Laois 0-10: Fermanagh boosted their prospects of staying in Division 2, with Tomás Corrigan scoring a brilliant match-winning haul of 1-11 to push Laois further into relegation danger.

Meanwhile substitute Cian O’Brien was the hero for Meath as his late equaliser rescued a draw.

St Michael’s College 25 St Andrew’s College 7

O’Byrne Cup - Meath 2-16 Laois 0-14: Laois manager Mick Lillis has dismissed the suggestion that the appointment of Bryan Cullen as Dublin GAA’s high performance manager illustrates the widening gap between the capital and other counties in Leinster.

O’Byrne Cup - Laois 1-10 UCD 1-9: An injury-time point from sub Ruairí O’Connor got Mick Lillis’s tenure as Laois manager off to a winning start in Ratheniska yesterday.

Laois 1-16 Antrim 2-15: Laois became the 2015 football championship’s first high profile casualty on Saturday when they failed to defend a nine-point lead against Antrim in their home venue of O’Moore Park, eventually crashing out thanks to the concession of a late goal to Antrim substitute Dermot McAleese.

Kildare 3-18 Laois 1-11: Not even their own supporters held much hope of Kildare beating Laois given their injuries and a horrible league campaign but manager Jason Ryan insists he and his coaching staff retained faith in their methods despite some of the vitriol being aimed in their direction.

Kildare blitzed Laois in stunning fashion after half time to canter into a Leinster semi-final against Dublin.

Laois and Kildare couldn’t be separated and have to meet again next Saturday at O’Connor Park, Tullamore after this rip-roaring Leinster championship clash.

Laois 3-16 Carlow 0-8: It was as smooth a win as you could wish for but Laois manager Tomás Ó Flatharta learned little about his team as they steamrollered Carlow at Netwatch Cullen Park in this Leinster Championship opener on Saturday night.

Laois gained the expected upper hand in this local derby against Carlow to set up another battle for domestic bragging rights against Kildare in the Leinster quarter-final.

Down 3-12 Laois 1-15: Down’s ability to find the net helped them clinch promotion back to Division One while Laois maintained their league status despite defeat in Pairc Esler yesterday.

Allianz FL Division 2

Galway 0-10 Laois 2-10

Meath 0-13, Laois 0-13:

Laois 2-17, Roscommon 0-16: Tomás Ó Flatharta felt that there was a good performance coming from Laois, and they certainly impressed when recording their first victory of this year’s league campaign.

Laois 2-17, Roscommon 0-16:

Allianz FL Division 2 Round 2: Laois 2-6 Cavan 0-17: Neither the absence of light in their dressing room nor the malfunctioning showers could affect the good humour amongst the Cavan contingent at O’Moore Park on Saturday night.

Westmeath 1-12 Laois 0-10: Allianz Football League Division 2: Westmeath’s campaign got off to a winning start in Mullingar yesterday.

Laois 1-11 Dublin 1-12: Jim Gavin was fulsome in his praise for midfielder Emmet Ó Conghaile after he scored the winning point with the last kick of the game in Portarlington.

Laois 1-07 Maynooth 0-18: NUI Maynooth eased to a convincing eight-point win over Laois in Portarlington last night.