Laois survive tense finale to stave off relegation

Laois 1-16 Down 2-10

A fifth-place finish in Division 2 will be interpreted by some as comfortably avoiding relegation yet concern was etched all over manager Tomas Ó Flathárta’s face with 15 minutes remaining.

He had just watched Laois’s 10-point lead cut to four by a resurgent Down, who also now had the weight of extra numbers following full-back Denis Booth’s red card.