All-Ireland qualifiers: Laois beat Derry 1-13 to 0-12 at Owenbeg

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DerryImage source, Inpho
Image caption,

Shane McGuigan top-scored for Derry with five points

Laois punished Derry for a lacklustre second half to secure a 1-13 to 0-12 lead in Owenbeg and book a place in Monday's third round draw.

Having enjoyed the better of the opening 35 minutes Derry were unable to continue their forward momentum after the break.

Substitute Eoin Lowry rolled in Laois's goal midway through the half as the visitors took charge.

Damian McErlain's men finished with 14 men following Ciaran McFaul's late red.

With eight wins from nine matches before Saturday's encounter, the mood in Derry was one of optimism, resulting in a widely spread belief that Laois were there for the taking.

Indeed the first half suggested as much, with Colm Murphy's three scores the only bright moments in an otherwise sluggish first half from last year's Leinster finalists.

By contrast Derry looked lively and their main gripe upon hearing the half-time whistle may well have been that their lead was not greater than just one point.

Chrissy McKaigue's excellent driving score shortly after the restart suggested the hosts would continue in the same vein but instead their play became littered with fouls and individual errors.

After a quiet opening half, Laois talisman Donal Kingston took advantage of Derry's indiscipline, quickly converting four frees as the momentum shifted.

Just minutes after his introduction, Lowry was allowed to run freely through the Derry defence before receiving a hand-pass and calmly slotting beyond Thomas Mallon, who had kept out two goal-bound effort earlier in the half.

McFaul's sending off for a frustrated swing of the elbow compounded the Oak Leafers misery, as a promising season was brought to an end in disappointing fashion.

Derry: T Mallon; K McKaigue, B Rogers, L McGoldrick; J Rocks, C McKaigue (0-1), N Keenan; C McAtamney, C McFaul (0-1); J Doherty, B Heron (0-2), P Cassidy; S McGuigan (0-5), R Bell (0-3), E Lynn.

Subs: B McKinless, C Bradley, E Concannon, P Coney, C Doherty, E Bradley, C Mulholland, E McGill, B Og McGilligan, R Mooney, S F Quinn.

Laois: G Brody; S Attride, D Booth, G Dillon; T Collins (0-2), R Pigott, P O'Sullivan; J O'Loughlin, K Lillis; D O'Reilly (0-1), C Boyle, D Kingston (0-4); P Kingston, C Murphy (0-3), E O'Carroll (0-2).

Subs: S Byrne, M Scully, E Buggie, M Barry, E Lowry (1-1)

All-Ireland Football Qualifiers Round Two - Saturday

Antrim

0-14

Kildare

1-25

Longford

1-14

Tyrone

2-15

Derry

0-12

Laois

1-13

Westmeath

2-13

Limerick

1-10

Leitrim

0-17

Clare

3-17

Monaghan

1-12

Armagh

2-17

Down

1-11

Mayo

1-16