Laois secure first win

Laois 3-12 Carlow 2-11

Laois secured their first points of this year's Allianz NHL Division 2 campaign thanks to a hard-earned victory over Carlow at O'Moore Park in Portlaoise today.

Niall Rigney's charges were placed under huge pressure defensively.

Carlow half-forward Ruairi Dunbar bagged 1-8 for the visitors, including an equalising 58th-minute score in the 58th minute which had the sides tied at 3-8 to 2-11.

However, Laois dug deep and thanks to a late brace of points each from free-taker James Young and Jason Phelan, they ran out four-point winners.

The O'Moore men began this game at a frantic pace and led by 1-5 to 0-1 at the end of the opening quarter, with Eoin Holohan steeling in for a tenth-minute goal.

The Rathdowney/Errill clubman added a second goal in the second half, but before that Carlow bounced back strongly thanks to two goals in as many minutes.

Colin Hughes and Dunbar both slotted the ball past Laois goalkeeper Tadhg Doran in quick succession.

Nonetheless, Laois found the net for a second time before the interval with a Willie Hyland goal handing them a 2-7 to 2-5 half-time lead.

Laois began the second period on a positive note with Holohan bagging a second goal in the 40th minute.

But Carlow responded well by scoring four points in a five-minute spell to level the tie at 3-7 to 2-10 in the 50th minute.

Although the sides were level again, Laois finished strongly to hold out for a deserved triumph.