Laois 1-26
Offaly 1-20

Stephen Maher struck for 0-12 as Laois defeated Offaly tonight at O'Moore Park to claim their first points in Division 1B.

After a nightmare start, Eamonn Kelly's side began to pull away from their opponents before half-time with Maher's accuracy to the fore for them in taking in a 1-12 to 1-8 half-time lead.

Having lost Sean Gardiner just before the break, things went from bad to worse for the visitors when Aidan Treacy received his marching orders early in the restart and Laois were able to comfortably see out victory from there.

Offaly had made a dream start in this derby, hitting their neighbours net inside two minutes via a fine strike from Oisin Kelly after Peter Geraghty's point had given them the initial lead.

Geraghty's second white flag would push the leaders five in front with six minutes on the clock, but disaster struck them soon afterwards, as points from Stephen Maher and Charles Dwyer were backed up with a well-executed Neil Foyle goal and by the ninth minute Laois would be in front via Maher's second free.

Kelly brought the visitors level but the first signs of a margin beginning to develop between the sides arrived after Paddy Whelan and Maher (free) lofted back-to-back points over Offaly's crossbar.

Kevin Ryan's men wouldn't lead in this game again, despite Shane Dooley levelling for them on two different occasions in the second quarter, as Dwyer, Maher (free) and Whelan all chipped over points that opened up a three-point gap.

Maher increased the Laois lead to five prior to Gardiner being sent off before half-time and when Treacy received a straight red card in the opening stages of the resumption Offaly were left with a real battle on their hands.

Two Maher singles were backed up by Willie Dunphy sending over at the same end, and when Dwyer shot his third Laois were 1-20 to 1-11 in front.

Dooley (free) and Cillian Kiely came up with the Offaly response but, with their two extra players deployed in defence, the O'Moore men weren't going to be caught at all that often from here on in.

Cian Taylor and Ross King made it a nine-point game and while Dooley left the trailers with an outside chance in the closing stages, Laois weren't about to fall apart late on for the second weekend in a row.

Points from King and Patrick Purcell made sure Kelly's men were over the finish line, handing Offaly their second defeat inside a week in the process.

Laois - E Rowland; D Palmer, L Bergin, P Lawlor; C Healy, M Whelan, R Mullaney; P Purcell (0-1), B Conroy; S Maher (0-12, 7f), C Dwyer (0-5), P Whelan (0-1); W Dunphy (0-2), N Foyle (1-0), R King (0-3). Subs: C Taylor (0-2) for M Whelan, S Downey for P Lawlor, A Dunphy for P Whelan, A Corby for B Conroy.

Offaly - J Dempsey; M Cleary, C Doughan, B Conneely; S Ryan, D Short, S Gardiner; A Treacy, C Kiely (0-3); P Murphy, S Dooley (0-10f), O Kelly (1-2); P Geraghty (0-2), S Cleary (0-2), J Mulrooney. Subs: E Nolan for P Murphy, P Delaney (0-1) for M Cleary, E Grogan for J Mulrooney.

Referee - J Ryan.

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