Laois 2-12
Monaghan 0-12

First half goals from Colm Kelly and Brendan Quigley proved decisive as Laois sent Monaghan crashing out of the championship at O'Moore Park.

Having trailed by 0-2 to 0-5 after 20 minutes, the home side battled back onto level terms before Kelly and Quigley raised green flags in the 26th and 32nd minutes to give them a 2-7 to 0-8 cushion at the break and set them on the road to victory.

There is likely to be renewed calls for the use of Hawkeye technology in the GAA amid claims that Kelly's shot - which rebounded back into play - hadn't fully crossed the goal-line. Monaghan will rightly feel sore over referee David Coldrick's decision to allow the goal to stand as the sides had been level on 0-5 apiece at the time, and undoubtedly had a bearing on the outcome.

Laois, who had Padraig Clancy, Ross Munnelly and Kelly booked in the opening half, started brightly with Munnelly (free) and Colm Boyle posting early points. Paul Finlay and Conor McManus (free) brought the visitors level before they surged ahead thanks to further efforts from Tommy Freeman and McManus (free). And they were flying when McManus kicked their fifth in-a-row after Darren Hughes had found him unmarked with a short free.

The O'Moore County regained parity courtesy of two Kelly frees and a point from play by Munnelly before the game's big talking point arrived when Kelly fielded a high ball before scoring his disputed goal.

McManus and Finlay replied with points to reduce the deficit to the minimum before Clancy gave Laois some breathing space again. Whatever about their first goal, there was no disputing Laois' second which was a pile-driver into the top right corner of Mark Kehoe's net from Quigley three minutes before the break.

McManus responded with a free before Damien O'Connor ensured the hosts of a five-point interval advantage.

A foul on Dick Clerkin yielded the first score of the second half from Paul Finlay. Clerkin then pointed on the run to leave a goal in it, but the Farneymen - who were devastated to lose to Down in the Ulster SFC semi-final - couldn't get any closer as Gary Walsh sent over a timely reply for Justin McNulty's side.

Laois tightened their grip on proceedings thereafter, and when MJ Tierney converted a '45 with 13 minutes to go, they were seven points clear. Points from Dessie Mone and Eoin Lennon cut the gap to five before Laois were denied a third goal when Mark Kehoe produced a brilliant save from Colm Kelly.

But the O'Moore's weren't to be denied with Brendan Quigley's late point sealing a six-point victory.

Laois - E Culliton; C Healy, K Meaney, J Kavanagh; D Strong, J O'Loughlin, C Boyle (0-1); B Quigley (1-1), P Clancy (0-1); R Munnelly (0-3), C Begley, B Sheehan; D O'Connor (0-2), G Walsh (0-1), C Kelly (1-2). Subs: M J Tierney (0-1) for Walsh, P McMahon for Strong, D Conway for Kelly, S O'Leary for Clancy.

Monaghan - M Keogh; D Wylie, V Corey, C Walshe; K O'Connell, D Mone (0-1), K Duffy; O Lennon (0-1), D Clerkin (0-1); P Dooney, D Hughes, J Turley; P Finlay (0-3), C McManus (0-5), T Freeman (0-1). Subs: S Gollogly for Dooney, D Hughes for O'Connell, S Smith for Turley, C McGuinness for Finlay.

Referee - D Coldrick (Meath). Tweet

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