Down woes drag on

Down 0-9 Laois 1-13, Newcastle

A fired-up Laois side added to Down's woes as the Mourne men lost for the third time in four NFL games in Newcastle today to remain rooted to the bottom of the Division 1B table.

Mourne boss Ross Carr was left scratching his head as his charges continued their recent dip in form.

Ross Munnelly and Brian Beano McDonald, who both finished with tallies of 0-4 (3f), were the hosts' chief tormentors.

Munnelly kicked the game's opening four points to springboard the wind-back Laois into a 0-9 to 0-3 lead at the break. Hard-working corner forward Mark Poland was, at least, providing some resistance with two points for Down.

The introductions in the second half of Dan Gordon, Benny Coulter, Ronan Sexton and Aidan Carr did help the Down cause but a late Chris Bergin goal killed off the contest.

The eagerness of Munnelly, who scored three times in the opening six minutes, twice from placed balls, was key to this Laois win.

The first half had a predictable feel despite Down managing to nip it back to a one-point game thanks to scores from Poland and midfielder Jack Lynch.

Laois went full throttle when they scored six points in an excellent 21-minute spell.

Scores from all angles from Brian McCormack, Gary Kavanagh and the on-form McDonald gave the midlanders a considerable lead before Munnelly, with his third free, and McDonald pointed again.

David Murphy also got on the scoresheet before Poland claimed his second point to leave his side with a six-point deficit for the second half.

The substitutions shook up the Down attack for a while. Barry Doran (0-2) and Daniel Hughes raised white flags to make it a three-point game.

Some excellent fielding, with Noel Garvan making his first start of the season alongside Padraig Clancy in midfield, helped Laois see out the win, just as Down threatened an unlikely comeback.

McDonald, Munnelly, Kavanagh and McDonald again fired over to extend Laois' lead, before Coulter, Colin McCrickard and Poland defiantly replied for Carr's side.

Laois' goal, a minute into injury-time, was the final nail in Down's coffin, as Paul Lawlor played a neat ball through for substitute Bergin to drill home.