Laois 1-16
Down 2-10
ROSS MUNNELLY HIT six crucial points as Laois lived on their wits in Portlaoise before prevailing to secure their Division 2 status.
Tomas O Flathara’s side led by 10 points early in the second-half and with Armagh and Galway in bother elsewhere, avoiding the drop seemed likely despite starting the day second from bottom.
But a mini-Down revival allied to the dismissal of Laois full-back Denis Booth on a straight red card turned the game on its head.
Down were awarded a penalty for Booth’s dangerously challenge which forced O’Hare out of the game and Aidan Carr converted it.
That cut Laois’ 10-point lead to just four with 14 minutes remaining and Down had a strong wind behind them.
But points from goal-scorer John O’Loughlin, David Conway and Donie Kingston boosted Laois’ morale and they held on for an important win, leapfrogging Armagh and Galway.
Laois would have had serious questions to answer if they lost after shooting 13 first-half wides and 17 in total.
They dominated Down in the first-half and led 1-10 to 1-1 at half-time even with all of those missed chances.
O’Loughlin netted in the 25th minute, two minutes after Down’s loss of talisman forward Benny Coulter to a black card.
Laois led 1-11 to 0-1 when Munnelly converted a free after the restart but Down finally came alive.
O’Hare was excellent, kicking four points and winning the penalty before his departure.
But Down, already safe with seven points, couldn’t reel Laois in and with positive results coming from elsewhere, the hosts survived.
In the other game in the division Meath had one point to spare over Louth.
Scorers for Laois: Ross Munnelly 0-6 (0-1f), John O’Loughlin 1-2, David Conway and Donie Kingston (0-1f) 0-3 each, Conor Meredith and Darren Strong 0-1 each.
Scorers for Down: Donal O’Hare 0-4 (0-3f), Conor Maginn and Aidan Carr (1-0 pen) 1-0 each, Jerome Johnston 0-2 (0-1f), Niall Madine, Conor Garvey, Conor Laverty, and Mark Poland (0-1f) 0-1 each.
LAOIS: Graham Brody; Denis Booth, Padraig McMahon, Peter O’Leary; Darren Strong, Paul Begley, Colm Begley; Kevin Meaney, John O’Loughlin; James Finn, Donie Kingston, Billy Sheehan; Ross Munnelly, Conor Meredith, David Conway.
Subs.: Damien O’Connor for Sheehan (47), Robbie Kehoe for Meredith (62, black card), Evan O’Carroll for Finn (70), MJ Tierney for Conway (75).
DOWN: Brendan McVeigh; Dan McCartan, Brendan McArdle, Owen Costello; Aidan Carr, Declan Rooney, Conor Garvey; Peter Turley, Ambrose Rogers; Conor Maginn, Mark Poland, Paul Devlin; Niall Madine, Brendan Coulter, Donal O’Hare.
Subs.: Kevin McKernan for Coulter (24, black card), Conor Laverty for Turley (h/t), Ryan Boyle for Rooney (44), Niall Donnelly for McArdle (49, black card), Jerome Johnston for O’Hare (54).
Referee: Conor Lane (Cork).