Laois moved into the Joe McDonagh Cup final thanks to a 4-31 to 0-17 thrashing of Down at O’Moore Park, Portlaoise.

Despite not registering a single score in the opening 13 minutes, the home side eventually got motoring with points from Aaron Dunphy and Aidan Corby before netting their first goal through Willie Dunphy on the quarter hour mark.

After that, the flood games opened and more goals from Tomás Keyes (2) and Willie Dunphy saw the O’Moore men cruising towards a commanding 4-14 to 0-11 half-time lead.

The points kept coming for Laois after the turnaround via Aaron Dunphy, Corby, Paddy Purcell and Ross King as they emphatically booked their place in the competition’s final with a round remaining.

In Mullingar, Westmeath ensured their Joe McDonagh Cup status for next season with a 1-29 to 0-14 victory over now relegated Meath.

The winless Royals had put it up to their neighbours for large portions of the opening half and went in trailing by 0-16 to 0-13 at the break.

However, the home side would outscore their opponents by 0-5 to 0-1 after the turnaround and Darragh Clinton’s goal on 50 minutes would put them on the path to an 18-point win which cements their status for 2025.

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