NHL DIVISION TWO: Laois 1-13 Down 0-10:HIGH-FLYING Down produced a poor display as they went down to Laois at O'Moore Park yesterday.
Laois opened well with three early points by James Young but then lost their sharpshooter to a yellow card after 32 minutes.
Down came more into the game and some great points by Andy Savage, Ciaran Coulter and Paddy Braniff brought them right back into contention. Laois hit back with points from Zane Keenan, Jason Phelan and John Rowney and led 0-8 to 0-5 at the interval.
Laois stayed on top thanks to scores from Owen Holohan, Zane Keenan, Andy Savage and John Rowney. Down lost Simon Wilson and Fintan Conway to yellow cards and five minutes from the end John Walsh scored a fine goal to seal Laois’s deserved win.
LAOIS:T Doran; B Stapleton, D Maher, M McEvoy (0-1); J Delaney, M Whelan, R Young; B Dunne, J Walsh (1-0); W Hyland (0-1), J Walsh, J Young (0-3); J Phelan (0-1), Z Keenan (0-4), O Holohan (0-1). Subs:J Rowney (0-2) for Young (yellow), K Fitzpatrick for R Young, D Peacock for W Hyland, E Jackman for B Dunne (yellow), N Holmes for Phelan.
DOWN:G Clarke; F Conway, A Dynes, P Hughes; S Wilson (0-3), G Clarke, M Ennis; A Savage (0-2), C Coulter (0-1); K McGarry P Braniff (0-2), A Higgins (0-1); S Clarke, K Courtney, E Clarke. Subs:C O'Prey for McGarry, S Ennis for Conway (yellow), J Hughes for Wilson (yellow), J Coyle (0-1) for S Clarke, D Flynn for Coulter, K Maxwell for E Clarke.
Referee:Declan O'Driscoll (Limerick)
