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Historic first for Antrim

Antrim 1-21 Laois 3-12: ANTRIM CHALKED up their first Leinster championship win when they proved just too strong for understrength…

Mon May 16 2011 - 01:00

Antrim 1-21 Laois 3-12:ANTRIM CHALKED up their first Leinster championship win when they proved just too strong for understrength Laois at O'Moore Park on Saturday evening.

Seán Burke edged Laois in front with a point but Antrim hit back with a goal four minutes later, Simon McRory pulling first time to beat goalkeeper Pat Mullaney.

Points by Willie Hyland and James Walsh saw the teams level at the end of the first quarter. Matthew Whelan and Neil McManus traded points and a great Laois move then saw John Brophy place Neil Foyle for a brilliant goal.

Just before half-time Hyland blasted a free to the net to give Laois a 2-7 to 1-5 interval lead.

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With the breeze at their back, Antrim reeled off four unanswered points and the half was 13 minutes old before Willie Dunphy, a second half sub, sent over two good points for Laois.

Neil McManus replied but Antrim defender Neil McAuley then received a straight red card for an off-the-ball incident.

Undeterred, Antrim shot the next five points but Owen Holohan clipped the ball over the advancing goalkeeper to shoot an equalising goal with 12 minutes remaining.

Antrim scored five more points in succession and although Laois replied with scores from Matthew Whelan and Neil Foyle it was 14-man Antrim who progressed.

ANTRIM: C O’Connell; C McGuinness, A Graffin, K Molloy; N McAuley (0-1), M Herron (0-1), C Herron (0-1); P Shiels, B McFall; S McRory (1-2), Karl Stewart (0-2), J Black; C McCann (0-4), Neil McManus (0-9), Karl McKeegan. Subs: M Armstrong (0-1) for J Black (40 mins), D Hamill for K McKeegan (50 mins), K McGourty for B McFall (68 mins).

LAOIS: P Mullaney; JA Delaney, B Stapleton, B Smyth; J Fitzpatrick, M Whelan (0-2), B Galvin; J Walsh (0-1), S Burke (0-1); B Dunne, N Costelloe, W Hyland (1-4); O Holohan (1-1), N Foyle (1-1), J Brophy. Subs: C Dunne for J Fitzpatrick (inj ht) W Dunphy (0-2) for B Dunne (45 mins), S Dollard for Costelloe (61 mins).

Referee Alan Kelly Galway.

Laois now enter the first round of the All-Ireland qualifiers, while Antrim will travel to Wexford to play the local side on May 29th.