GAA: Laois edge Armagh 1-11 to 1-10 in All-Ireland SFC qualifier refixture

Armagh have become the first team since Carlow in 2000 to lose three championship games in the one season after going down by 1-11 to 1-10 against Laois.

The Orchard County put in two sharply contrasting halves of football at O'Moore Park but their powerful second-half comeback ultimately fell narrowly short as Laois advanced to a second round qualifier against Clare next weekend.

It looked as if Armagh were set to record a remarkable turnaround win when they recovered from a 1-5 to 0-1 half-time deficit to lead by two points with 15 minutes to play.

However, Laois veteran Ross Munnelly came off the bench to score two crucial late scores, while a late red card for Aaron Findon gave Mick Lillis' men a bit of breathing room as they closed out the win.

The unique circumstances surrounding this re-fixture, arranged due to the use of one extra substitute by Laois in their 1-10 to 0-10 victory at the same venue a fortnight ago, left most supporters wondering which side would find it easier to muster up the motivation to go to the well one more time.

The answer became clear early on as Laois looked far more interested in putting in a strong showing in front of their own supporters, getting the scoreboard moving in the opening minutes through an accurate strike from Niall Donoher off the left wing.

That flank of the attack proved to be a lucrative avenue for the midlanders in the first half as five of their six scores came off that wing, in no small part because of the excellent work of David Conway at top of the left.

The diminutive Arles-Kilcruise player shot two incredible points and was an excellent primary outlet for his team, who were playing into a light breeze.

Armagh were pedestrian in their play and racked up nine wides in the half as they walked the ball forward and shot low percentage strikes through heavy traffic.

Despite this they were still in touch until Kieran Lillis underhit a shot for a point and Conor Meredith was able to outfield his marker close to goal and slip a low shot underneath Patrick Morrison.

One can only assume that Kieran McGeeney's harsh words at the interval stripped paint off the walls of the O'Moore Park dressing room and his players were clearly stung into action, striking three points in the first five minutes of the second half.

Rory Grugan's move to full-forward and the decision to push the half-forward line far higher up the pitch yielded spectacular dividends and it was Grugan who really roused the crowd when he hammered the ball to the net after leaping highest between two Laois men to meet Stefan Campbell's high.

Tony Kernan had a glorious chance to add another major when he shot wide from 10 metres out almost immediately afterwards but it still looked as if Armagh would capitalise on their new-found zest as they piled on the points, with Colm Watters, Stefan Campbell and Grugan all striking well.

A couple of controversial frees helped Laois to hang in the game however and after Munnelly struck twice off the bench to tie the game up, they had another crucial cameo from Gary Walsh, who split the posts with a 50-metre free.

John O'Loughlin punched a late insurance point and while Armagh pressed hard in the closing minutes, even after Findon was dismissed by Padraig O'Sullivan, they could only cut the gap to a solitary point before the Kerry whistler ended the contest.   

Laois: G Brody; S Attride, M Timmons, G Hanrahan; D Strong (0-1), K Lillis, G Dillon; J O'Loughlin (0-2), B Quigley; C Begley, P Cahillane (0-1f), N Donoher (0-1); C Meredith (1-0), D Kingston (0-1f), D Conway (0-2).    

Subs: A Farrell for O'Connor (20 - bc), N Donoher for Meaney (46), R Munnelly (0-2, 0-1f) for Conway (54), G Dillon for Strong (56), G Walsh (0-1f) for Cahillane (65), M Campion for Quigley (70+2)

Armagh: P Morrison; S Heffron, B Donaghy (0-1), J McElroy; A Mallon, C Vernon, S Connell; A Findon, S Sheridan; T Kernan, R Grugan (1-2), A Forker; M McKenna (0-1), S Campbell (0-4, 0-3f), P Casey.   

Subs: N Grimley for Sheridan (5), E McVerry for Casey (26), C Watters (0-2) for Connell (ht), M Shields for McKenna (62)  

Referee: Padraig O'Sullivan (Kerry)