UCD 0-15 Laois 1-10:The visitors just about deserved to win at Rathdowney yesterday. Laois, under yet another new manager Séamus Plunkett, looked hungry in the Siberian like conditions in the first game of the season.

Noel McGrath from the next parish of Loughmore proved to be the real mach winner delivering six points in the opening half then despite hitting some bad wides in the second half added another five.

Shane Hanlon got the opening point for the home team from a line ball and the sides were level on three occasions before a great Laois move saw Tom Fitzgerald set up Steven Maher for the only goal after 29 minutes and at the interval Laois led 1-8 to 0-8.

Within five minutes of the resumption three quick points had the sides level, half-time sub Jack Guiney of Wexford scored after three minutes and Tipperary man McGrath was the difference accounting for all but two of his sides second half total.

UCD: B Murphy; J Dougan, W Phelan, R O’Carroll; J Gannon, S Oisín Gough, J Tennyson; S Norton (0-1), B O’Carroll; R O’Kelly, N McGrath (0-11), M Brennan (0-1); C Allis (0-1), M McCaffrey, D Fox. Subs: J Guiney (0-1) for C Allis h/t, J Gilligan for R O’Kelly (45 mins), K O’Loughlin for D Fox (49 mins), C Kenny for M McCaffrey (48 mins)

LAOIS: D Hanlon; B Stapleton, D Maher, W Young; J A Delaney, G Burke (0-1), C Healy; S Hanlon (0-1), J Fitzpatrick (0-1); J Walsh, A Collier, S Maher (1-5); D King, T Fitzgerald, W Dunphy (0-1); Subs: B Campion for J Walsh ht, C Dunne for B Stapleton h/t. PJ Scully (0-1) for W Dunphy (47 mins), B Conroy for D King (47 mins), S Bourke for S Hanlon (65 mins) Referee: Maurice Flynn Kilkenny