Laois 1-22
Westmeath 1-22

There was no separating Laois and Westmeath in this afternoon’s Joe McDonagh Round 5 clash as Eoin Gaughan’s late free ensured a top place finish for the hosts at O’Moore Park.

It progressed into a thriller at the finish in Portlaoise and fans will be hoping for more of the same when these two sides meet again in the competition’s decider in two weeks’ time.

It was Westmeath that led by 1-10 to 0-8 at the halfway stage with Robbie Greville’s goal on 19 minutes putting them in command, leading 1-6 to 0-3, before the O’Moore men rattled off three successive points via Stephen Maher (2 frees, one a ’65’) and goalkeeper Enda Rowland landing a long-range free of his own.

Killian Doyle and Maher traded frees late in the half ahead of Allan Devine and Aonghus Clarke sending the visitors in at the break five to the good.

Stephen Bergin and sub Gaughan cut the deficit down to a goal early in the resumption and Eddie Brennan’s charges would eventually get a run at their opponents which saw the deadly Maher levelling matters (0-16 to 1-13) by the 51st minute.

A minute later the sliotar was in the Lake men’s net after a neat finish from Mark Dowling and despite the men in maroon quickly drawing level with points, it was Laois that led by two with 10 minutes left thanks to Maher (free) and Bergin raising white flags.

A Doyle free and a fine over from Darragh Clinton squared proceedings again and through the supreme accuracy of Doyle – scorer of 0-17 against Antrim last time out – the visitors looked set for victory heading towards the added minutes.

Doyle’s last free had it at 1-22 to 1-21 but the home side dug their deepest in the dying stages to earn Gaughan the chance to deliver from a free which he dually did to snatch a share of the points. 

The sides will meet again on June 30th for the right to call themselves Joe McDonagh Cup champions for 2019 and replace Carlow in next year's Leinster senior hurling championship.

Laois - E Rowland (0-1f); L Cleere, E Killeen, J Phelan; J Kelly (0-3), M Whelan (0-1), C Stapleton (0-1); J Lennon, C Phelan; R King (0-4), N Foyle, S Maher (0-6, 2f, 1'65); M Dowling (1-0), A Dunphy, S Bergin (0-2). Subs: E Gaughan (0-4, 2f) for J Lennon, A Bergin for A Dunphy, A Mortimer for J Phelan, L Burke for J Kelly, C Comerford for N Foyle.

Westmeath - C Lynch; D Egerton, T Doyle, G Greville (0-1); L Varley, A Clarke (0-1), P Greville; S Clavin, J Gilligan; C Doyle (0-1), K Doyle (0-10, 9f, 1'65), J Boyle (0-2); R Greville (1-2), D McNicholas, A Devine (0-1). Subs: S McGovern for S Clavin, C Shaw for D Egerton, J Galvin for C Doyle, D Clinton (0-4) for D McNicholas, D O’Reilly for G Greville, S Power for P Greville.

Referee - P Murphy.

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