Laois 2-10
Galway 0-10

Laois are out of the relegation zone for the first time after they turned a six-point half-time deficit into a six-point victory over a flagging Galway in their re-fixed Division 2 encounter at Tuam Stadium.

Trailing by 1-1 to 0-10 at the interval, the O'Moore's made their wind advantage count in the second half when they hit an unanswered 1-9 to continue their recent revival and join both Cavan and Meath on five points. Today's victory sees them leapfrog Kevin Walsh's charges who have now lost three in-a-row and are in the thick of the relegation dogfight.

The hosts led by 0-5 to 0-1 at the end of the opening quarter thanks to scores from Adrian Varley, Peadar O Griofa, Shane Walsh, Paul Conroy and Gary O'Donnell. Ross Munnelly scored Laois' only point of the half from a free, but crucially, they got a goal to go along with it when Donie Kingston dispossessed Galway goalkeeper Brian O'Donoghue and finished to an empty net in the 19th minute.

The Tribesmen hit back with further scores from O Griofa and Walsh before half-time, while O'Donoghue made up for his earlier mistake when he denied Kingston his second goal in the 30th minute.

The hosts failed to score in a second half that saw Laois gradually claw their way back with points from Kingston (three) and Darren Strong. Tomas O Flatharta's men lost Conor Boyle to a black card, but it didn't deter them as Munnelly left the minimum in it, 1-6 to 0-10, with 11 minutes remaining.

Three minutes later, Galway had Damien Comer sent off on a second yellow card and Laois regained parity moments later through Munnelly.

As the hosts visibly wilted, substitute and Eirgrid U21 footballer of the month Tom Shiel scored the O'Moore County's second goal before late points from the outstanding Kingston and another sub, Stephen Attride, completed the comeback.

Laois - G Brody; P Begley, M Timmons, D O'Connor; D Strong (0-1), C Begley, R Kehoe; B Quigley, J O'Loughlin; N Donoher, D Kingston (1-5, 0-5f), E O'Carroll; R Munnelly (0-3, 2f), C Boyle, P Kingston. Subs: B Sheehan for E O'Carroll, S Attride (0-1) for C Boyle (BC), T Shiel (1-0) for P Kingston, J Finn for R Munnelly.

Galway - B O'Donoghue; J Duane, F Hanley, C Sweeney; P Varley, G Bradshaw, G O'Donnell (0-1); F O Curraoin, P Conroy (0-1f); P O Griofa (0-4, 3f), D Comer, S Denvir; A Varley (0-1), P Sweeney, S Walsh (0-3). Subs: T Fahy for P Varley, J Heaney for A Varley, E Hoare for P Sweeney.

Referee - Marty Duffy.

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