Laois 2-18; Wexford 2-18: Laois and Wexford, who collected just one victory apiece in the first phase of the national league, produced an excellent game of hurling at Portlaoise yesterday.

Wexford took the lead with a Barry Lambert point after two minutes of play. But Laois replied with five in a row, two each from Canice Coonan and James Young with Paul Cuddy adding the fifth. Then, 12 minutes into the contest Barry Lambert scored a well-taken Wexford goal and added a point almost immediately.

Laois continued to dominate the opening half with a succession of points from Damian Culleton, James Young, and David Cuddy. Barry Lambert kept Wexford in touch with another point and two from Adrian Fenlon and David O'Connor saw Wexford regain the lead after 25 minutes of play.

Two minutes into injury time Robert Jones found the in-running Culleton, who grabbed a goal to leave Laois ahead 1-13 to 1-9 at the interval.

Within five minutes of the resumption Wexford had drawn level with four unanswered points. David Cuddy and Michael Jordan exchanged points and a good Laois move saw Culleton score his second goal, 10 minutes into the new half.

Joe Fitzpatrick put four points between the sides and Laois held a three-point advantage at the end of normal time.

Then a great Wexford move resulted in Rory Jacob scoring the equalising goal on the stroke of full time.

WEXFORD: D Fitzhenry; C Kehoe, D Ryan, M Travers; W Doran, D Ruth (0-1), M O'Leary; R Stafford (0-1), A Fenlon (0-2); B Lambert (1-8), D O'Connor (0-1), M J Furlong (0-1); M Jordan (0-3), P Carley, R Jacob (1-1). Subs: P Donoghue for C Keogh, J O'Connor for M Travers, M Jacob for M O'Leary, C McGrath for Carley.

LAOIS: K Galvin; L Mahon, Pat Cuddy, C Cuddy; J Fitzpatrick (0-1), P Cuddy (0-1), M McEvoy; J Young (0-8), J Walsh; C Coonan (0-2), D Cuddy (0-1), R Jones (0-3); T Fitzgerald, L Tynan, D Culleton (2-1). Subs: E Jackman (0-1) for T Fitzgerald, P Drennan for Mahon.

Referee: S Roche (Tipperary).