McNulty relief as Leitrim let it slip

Not since the days of Mick O’Dwyer have Laois enjoyed such a fruitful summer.

For the first time since 2006, the O’Moore county worked their way into the fourth round of the qualifiers, just one step away from an All-Ireland quarter-final.

But Justin McNulty’s side came desperately close to repeating the failures of the previous five seasons as they used all their guile to escape from Páirc Seán Mac Diarmada on Saturday, breathing a sign of relief as they boarded the bus home.