Leinster Under-21 FC/ Laois 0-11 Wicklow 1-5: Laois advanced to the second round of the Leinster under-21 football championship thanks to a fine exhibition of score-taking by their corner forward Michael Tierney at Aughrim yesterday.

Tiernan, part of a lively full-forward line, posted five of his team's total, three of his points coming from frees.

Yet Laois will feel a shade fortunate to escape with the win; Wicklow spurned several good scoring opportunities, including a goal chance, in the second half.

Almost immediately after the break, Dean Odlum sliced through the Laois defence and, when he got one-on-one with goalkeeper Colin Munnelly, fisted the ball to the net. Of course the "goal" was disallowed.

Four minutes from the end Wicklow trailed by four points, 0-5 to 0-9, but then midfielder Rory Finn netted from the edge of the square.

With Laois clinging to a one-point lead, it was a nailbiting finish to a fine game.

Laois, who led 0-5 to 0-3 at the break, got the insurance points from David Conway (free) and David Carroll.

LAOIS: C Munnelly; E Butler, M Timmons, B Meredith; S Lawlor, C Healy, N Donogher; B Quigley, S O'Neill; C Rogers, J McLoughlin, D Carroll (0-2); M Tierney (0-5), D Brennan (0-1), D Conway (0-3). Subs: K Smith for B Meredith, N Gorman for E Butler, S O'Leary for J McLoughlin, K. Delaney for S Lawler.

WICKLOW: B Norman; W O'Callaghan, M O'Loughlin, R Keddy; S O'Neill, S Kelly, M O'Shaughnessy; R Finn (1-0), N McGraynor; C Smullen, S Duffy, D Hayden; D Odlum (0-3), J McGrath (0-1), D Fitzgerald (0-1). Subs: R Murphy for C Smullen, KJ Rogers for S Duffy, C McNicholas for D Hayden, K Belton for N McGraynor.

Referee: G McCormack(Dublin).