O’Dwyer laments lost lead

ALL afternoon Laois and Mayo traded scores with an abandon normally reserved for youngsters swapping football stickers, but Mick O’Dwyer was certain the result had finally been decided when Noel Garvan launched his third missile between John Healey’s posts.

That score put the Leinster county two points ahead — a daunting margin considering less than three minutes were left to play.

“I thought it was over at that stage, to be honest,” admitted the Laois manager. “You never know with football. Anything can happen and it happened today. Other games we have played during the year, we have got scores that have won the game for us in the dying moments. We’re just hoping we’ll be able to produce the same endeavour the next day.”