Good afternoon, Gaelic football fans.

Whether you’re in Croke Park, headed for Carrick-on-Shannon or just not able to plonk yourself down in front of the match; welcome.

First things first: the throw-in for this SFC round four qualifier has been pushed back by 15 minutes. So we’re looking at a 17.15 start.

Ah here!

Throw-in in Leitrim has been pushed back a further five minutes. 17.20 is now you hostility commencement time.

While we’re waiting around, why not tell us your predictions for today’s game?

Are the champions back in the habit or vulnerable to the shock?

Jim McGuinness doesn’t exactly has cards close to his chest, more like stored safely in a zip-lock pouch. Still no news of the Donegal starting 15, but here’s how Laois will line up.

LAOIS: Eoin Culliton (Timahoe); Paul Begley (Stradbally), Mark Timmons (Graiguecullen), Peter O’Leary (O’Dempsey’s); Darren Strong (Emo), Kieran Lillis (Portlaoise), Padraig McMahon (Ballyroan Abbey); Padraig Clancy (Timahoe), John O’Loughlin (St Brigid’s); Ross Munnelly (Arles-Kilcruise), Billy Sheehan (Emo), Colm Begley (Parnells); Conor Meredith (O’Dempsey’s), Donal Kingston (Arles-Killeen), Evan O’Carroll (Crettyard).

Donegal and Laois take the field and the reaction of the crowd would suggest that green and gold are the dominant shades today.

Here we go. A minute’s silence will precede the anthems and we have the Donegal team: No Karl Lacey.

DONEGAL: Paul Durcan; Paddy McGrath, Neil McGee, Eamonn McGee; Frank McGlynn, Declan Walsh , Anthony Thompson; Rory Kavanagh, Neil Gallagher, David Walsh, Ryan McHugh, Ryan Bradley; Paddy McBrearty, Michael Murphy, Colm McFadden.

THROW-IN: Scratch that, no minute’s silence. Just a mix-up with the sound system and we’re underway.

Michael Murphy has the first chance, but he has swung it wide.

Donegal looked a bit unsure of themselves before the throw-in, far from their usual selves, raring to go.

With the game under way, however, there is no quarter given as both sides look to be set up to keep everything tight early on. Don’t be expecting an avalanche of points here.

A brilliant start from Laois, matching Donegal’s intensity. Ross Munnelly wins a free, but from 40 yards or so he doesn’t take on the scoring chance and defers to Padraig Clancy who can’t make hay either.

10 mins: Laois 0-0 Donegal 0-0

The scoreboard doesn’t make for great reading but Michael Murphy has just been ordered to move closer to goal and his impact is immediate, knocking down to McFadden who wins a free directly in front of the sticks to open the scoring himself after 11 minutes.

Laois 0-0 Donegal 0-1

Laois guilty of wasting possession, hoping to instantly draw level with Donegal but Justin McNulty has called a player in to warn them to take more care with the ball.

16 mins: Laois 0-1 Donegal 0-1

Ross Munnelly finds a yard of space 20 yards from goal and fires Laois back onto level terms.

Ooh! Mark Timmons with a huge goal chance for Laois after 20 minutes, but he drills it wide.

A scare for Donegal. There were plenty of warning signs in Clones last week they did not heed. How will they react to that?

24 mins: Donegal 0-3 Laois 0-1

There’s no HawkEye in Leitrim, so expect this to be a big talking point over the coming 26 hours. A very dubious score from Donegal’s David Walsh and Michael Murphy tags another super super point after storming through the middle to swing momentum very firmly in Donegal’s favour.

It’s all kicking off now. Jimmy McGuinness and Justin McNulty showing the fire is still in their bellies as they square up to one another. Nothing but foul language was exchanged, hands firmly kept by their side.

Referee Martin Duffy has warned the Donegal manager not to approach the Laois bench again… unless he fancies a spell in the stands.

28 mins: Donegal 0-4 Laois 0-1

Colm McFadden brings some normality to the game and some calmness to his manager with a fine free from 25 yards.

35 mins Donegal 0-5 Laois 0-1

Just before we enter the two minutes of added time, Gallagher launches  the ball into Paddy McBrearty and he shows great footwork to make a scoring chance for himself. A chance he executes perfectly.

Oh dear, Donie Kingston with a chance from the free, but it drops short and Laois can’t make amneds from the follow up.

HALF TIME: Donegal 0-5 Laois 0-1

SECOND HALF

No sooner had we started sipping tea from our plastic cup, we’re back under way and Laois have roared out of the traps to take the first score of the second period through Conor Meredith.

Donegal 0-5 Laois 0-2

Donegal 0-6 Laois 0-2

Laois’ second score of the game is cancelled out instantly by another McFadden free (his third). Donegal won’t be caught cold here.

And they knuckle down further to go up and grab another score through Michael Murphy.

39 mins: Donegal 0-7 Laois 0-2

Donegal 0-7 Laois 0-3

A fantastic long-range point from Ross Munnelly. Much better fare in Carrick in this second half.

Well, well, well. Munnelly tags on a free straight away and suddenly there’s just a goal between the sides and Laois are not being smothered any more.

Donegal 0-7 Laois 0-4

49 mins: Donegal 0-9 Laois 0-4

Another free from McFadden. Breathing space for Donegal and McFadden gives them even more seconds later as he sets up Paddy McBrearty who fires over the bar.

Donegal 0-10 Laois 0-5

Laois won’t let Donegal get too far clear, a superb score from Donie Kingston, but down the other end McFadden shows his class to reopen the lead with his first score from play.

And here comes Karl Lacey. He replaces Paddy McGrath in the Donegal defence.

55 mins:  0-10 Laois 0-7

Another huge score from Kingston and Laois are beginning to believe as the noise levels drop in the crowd. Conway fires his first of the game and suddenly Laois are back within a single score.

Hold tight, folks.

Donegal 0-10 Laois 0-8

Yep, it’s squeaky bum time now. Murphy misses a free at one end, and at the other, Munnelly dispatches his fourth point of the day to put just two points between the sides.

65 mins: Donegal 0-12 Laois 0-8

An absolutely stunning point from McFadden just when his county needed something special, the forward plucked the ball  out of the air under serious pressure and bisected the posts.

Moments earlier, the Donegal net looked in danger, but now they are finally home and hosed as McBrearty takes the pass from Eamonn McGee and kicks his third of the day.

RED CARD: Meredith walks the line after a late clash.

A shame to end a fairly contested game like that for Laois, but Donegal have been able to pick off the chances once Laois opened up. Leo McLoone and Neil McGee with the late scores.

FULL TIME: Donegal 0-14 Laois 0-8

Well, folks. That’s it from me. We hope you enjoyed the updates from Leitrim.

We’ll bring you reaction from Jim McGuinness and a full match report in the coming hours along with news of the All Ireland SFC quarter-final draw.