National Football League/Galway 0-8 Laois 0-8: Galway are still looking for their first win in the National League after being caught at the death by never-say-die Laois in an exciting encounter at Tuam Stadium.
Chris Conway was the hero for Laois when he kicked a point late in injury-time to salvage a draw.
It was a cruel blow to Galway who looked set for victory when Derek Savage put them ahead for the first time in the match with four minutes remaining. But Mick O'Dwyer's men were rewarded when Conway had the composure to deliver the equalising score with the game's last kick.
Laois led 0-5 to 0-2 at the interval having played with the strong wind, but they never allowed Galway get on top for long periods after the restart.
Galway battled well in the opening half even though full back Kieran Fitzgerald had to cry off before the game, with Richie Fahey producing a man-of-the-match display when he switched from the corner to a central role.
Midfield proved to be an epic battle between the Galway pair of Niall Coleman and Paul Geraghty and the Laois partnership of Pádraig Clancy and Tom Kelly, the latter a late replacement for the unavailable Noel Garvan.
Galway had to wait until the the 23rd minute before Savage opened their account after his side was guilty of three wides. By then Laois had a couple of points on the board, with Ross Munnelly getting them off the mark with a free after 55 minutes before wing-back Joe Higgins burst forward to kick an excellent score from 40 yards.
Laois kicked five wides in the opening half but two points from Conway and a superb score from midfielder Clancy from 50 yards just before the break gave them a three-point interval advantage.
Significantly, Laois got the first score of the second-half despite playing into the wind, with Munnelly converting a free from 25 yards. The Laois cause was not helped when wing back Higgins had to go off at half-time and they also lost Munnelly to injury 10 minutes after the restart.
Galway, with new centre back Diarmuid Blake catching the eye, reduced the deficit through frees by Pádraic Joyce and his cousin Nicky Joyce after 49 minutes.
Micheál Meehan kicked two superb points inside a minute to level the match with 15 minutes remaining. Conway and Joyce exchanged points and Savage's point looked to have sealed victory until Conway had the last word to earn Laois a reprieve.
GALWAY: A Keane; D Meehan, R Fahey, A Burke; M Comer, D Blake, R Gibbons; N Coleman, P Geraghty; B Flaherty, P Joyce (0-3, 2 frees), N Coyne; M Meehan (0-2), D Savage (0-2), N Joyce (0-1, free). Subs: A O'Donovan for N Joyce (51 mins).
LAOIS: F Byron; A Fennelly, C Ryan, P McMahon; J Higgins (0-1), D Conroy, B McCormack; P Clancy (0-1), T Kelly; R Munnelly (0-2 two frees), B Brennan, B Sheehan; D Brennan, C Kelly, C Conway (0-4, two frees). Subs: D Rooney for Higgins (inj, half-time), G Kavanagh for Munnelly (inj, 44 mins), M Lawlor for C Kelly (55 mins), B McDonald for Sheehan (66 mins).
Referee: B Crowe (Cavan).
