Sport

Brennan's strike seals it for Laois

Laois - 1-14 Fermanagh - 1-11: Laois maintained their 100 per cent record when they scored a narrow victory over visitors Fermanagh…

Mon Feb 10 2003 - 00:00

Laois - 1-14 Fermanagh - 1-11:Laois maintained their 100 per cent record when they scored a narrow victory over visitors Fermanagh at Portlaoise yesterday.

In a match played in ideal conditions, Fermanagh, who were beaten by Down last weekend, opened with a point from Ronan McCabe after eight minutes. Laois captain Ian Fitzgerald levelled matters two minutes later but the visitors regained the initiative with a second McCabe point before Damien Delaney had two in a row for the home side.

The sides were level again at the end of the quarter when Kieran Donnelly kicked two magnificent points. The final 10 minutes of the half saw Laois pull away with points from Kieran Kelly, Michael Lawlor and Fitzgerald to lead at the interval by 0-9 to 0-6.

Within a minute of the resumption Shane McDermott narrowed the gap with a point but Laois substitute Donal Miller restored his side's three-point advantage and further points from Fitzgerald and Lawlor seemed to have put Laois in a comfortable position.

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Fermanagh hit back with points from Ryan Keenan and Rory Gallagher, and then a great move midway through the half finished with Declan O'Reilly scoring a well-taken goal.

When Keenan pointed again for Fermanagh the sides were level with 10 minutes remaining. Miller and Ronan McCabe exchanged points and just when it looked like ending in a stalemate, Laois substitutes David Sweeney and Barry Brennan combined and the latter slotted home a well-taken goal.

Laois now travel to Ballinrobe for a top-of-the-table clash with Mayo on Sunday.

LAOIS: F Byron; T Kelly, C Byrne, J Higgins; D Rooney, K Fitzpatrick, D Conroy; P Clancy, N Garvan; K Kelly (0-1), I Fitzgerald (0-5), C Parkinson; B McDonald (0-1), M Lawlor (0-2), D Delaney (0-3). Subs: D Miller (0-2) for Delaney, B Brennan (1-0) for Parkinson.

FERMANAGH: D Feeley; R Johnson, B Owens, M Lilley; J Gilheany, R McCloskey, D O'Reilly (1-0); T Brewster, S McDermott (0-1); R Gallagher (0-2), M McGrath, K Donnelly (0-3); R McCabe (0-2), S McGuire, R Keenan (0-3). Subs: S Doherty for Keenan, C O'Reilly for Donnelly.

Referee: S Doyle (Wexford).