Football League Division Two: Laois 1-16 2-10 Down

Down's Division 2 Football League campaign ended in disappointing fashion at they were beaten by Laois.

The win, which kept Laois in Division 2, was founded on their first-half display as they by nine at the break.

Laois led by four early on when Conor Maginn netted for Down but John O'Loughlin quickly responded with a goal for the home side.

Aidan Carr's penalty - after Denis Booth's red card - cut the margin to four but Laois deservedly held on.

Benny Coulter made his first start of the League as he was a late selection in place of Kevin McKernan but the Mayobridge man and his attacking colleagues saw very little of the ball in the first half.

Points from David Conway, Ross Munnelly, Donie Kingston and O'Loughlin quickly had Laois four ahead before Maginn struck Down's opening score with his seventh-minute goal.

But Laois responded with an unanswered 1-3 which include O'Loughlin's goal after good work by the impressive Munnelly.

Donal O'Hare notched Down's only first-half point in the 19th minute but Laois countered with three more points before the interval.

Down could only improve after the break and they did outscore the home team in the third quarter with Paul Devlin and Niall Madine among the scorers.

Booth's red card for his challenge on Paul Devlin, as the Down man was about to pull the trigger, led to the penalty which was confidently netted by Carr.

As Down chipped away at the Laois advantage, there was only a kick of the ball between the teams in injury-time but Tomas O Flatharta's side held on for a victory which they deserved to retain their Division 2 status and send Armagh spinning into Division 3.

Sunday's Allianz Football League results

Division 1

Kerry 1-11 2-18 Cork

Kildare 1-22 0-08 Westmeath

Mayo 2-12 1-07 Derry

Tyrone 1-15 3-10 Dublin

Division 2

Armagh 1-08 2-10 Donegal

Laois 1-16 2-10 Down

Louth 1-12 2-10 Meath

Monaghan 0-13 0-12 Galway

Division 3

Fermanagh 3-10 2-13 Offaly

Roscommon 0-12 1-06 Sligo

Wexford 1-15 2-10 Longford

Division 4

Antrim 0-06 0-10 Clare

London 1-07 2-06 Leitrim

Tipperary 0-22 4-12 Wicklow

Waterford 1-09 0-09 Carlow

Hurling League

Division 2A Final

Kerry 3-16 3-13 Carlow

Division 3A

Roscommon 2-14 4-12 Donegal

Division 3B

Tyrone 0-13 1-09 Leitrim