Laois v Offaly LIVE stream, score updates and more from Joe ...
Offaly edged out Laois to win the Joe McDonagh Cup in the Croke Park sunshine on Saturday afternoon.
Buouyed by the success of their U20 starlets last weekend, Offaly started with a bang and rattled off 1-1 without reply in the opening seconds of the game with the goal coming from Brian Diugnan.
Though Offaly started well, it was Laois who dominated much of the first-half. They were well on top in the middle, with midfielders Purcell and Corby scoring four points each in the opening period.
Despite Laois' excellent response, they trailed by a point at the break.
Again, Laois were asleep after the restart and conceded 1-1 inside the first minute. Early first-half sub Oisin Kelly got the goal, before Eoghan Cahill pointed.
It looked like it was going to turn into a romp when Offaly moved seven points clear in the 49th minute, but Laois showed tremendous character to fight their way back into the game again Aaron Dunphy started the fightback with an excellent score before Purcell got his fifth of the day.
Dunphy got Laois's fifth on the spin in the 58th minute to cut the gap to two, but Charlie Mitchell pointed yet again to extend the lead to three.
Dunphy nailed three dead balls in a row to level the game, and with four minutes left on the clock, extra-time looked to be on the cards for the second McDonagh Cup final in a row.
But Offaly showed their class in the dying embers of the game. Helped by a controversial referee decision to penalise Laois star John Lennon for over-carrying with the goal at his mercy, Offaly reeled off the game's final three scores in injury time to secure the cup and a place in next year's Leinster Championship.
17:01KEY EVENT
Coilin Spain clears and Offaly have won the McDonagh Cup!
16:59Oisin Doherty
Jack Clancy now makes it a three-point game.
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16:59Oisin Doherty
Mitchell with the score for Offaly. He got out in front, turned his man and clipped over.
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16:58Oisin Doherty
John Lennon thinks he's in for a score for Laois but the referee blows him up for over-carrying.
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16:57Oisin Doherty
Poor wide now from Stephen Maher. Laois panicking and have hit 18 wides now.
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16:56Oisin Doherty
Four added minutes as Willie Dunphy hits a wide.
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16:55Oisin Doherty
Sampson at the death!
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16:52Oisin Doherty
Dunphy taps over a free and levels the scores for the 11th time this afternoon.
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16:51Oisin Doherty
A second 65 on the spin from Dunphy.
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16:50Oisin Doherty
Cillian Keily with the block now to save Offaly. Dooley surely had to square the ball inside.
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16:50Oisin Doherty
Dunphy drives a 65 over the bar. Two points splits the sides in the final.
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16:48Oisin Doherty
Ryan Mullaney with a stunning hook to deny Bourke a certain goal. What a game at Croke Park.
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16:47Oisin Doherty
Crucial score from Charlie Mitchell. Offaly really needed that score to re-establish their three point advantage.
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16:44Oisin Doherty
Two between them now.
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16:42Oisin Doherty
Laois scrap with all their heart to win the ball in midfield and eventually Dunphy fires over.
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16:40Oisin Doherty
Ross King with a cracker and Laois are rolling again. Colin Spain on for Laois as Adam Screeney is withdrawn.
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16:40Oisin Doherty
Point for Paddy Purcell. He was going for goal, but Troy tipped it over acrobatically.
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16:38Oisin Doherty
Wonder-score from Dunphy on the touchline. Cracking strike.
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16:36Oisin Doherty
Mitchell with another score for Offaly. He's having a fine day in front of goal.
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16:33Oisin Doherty
Shanahan fires over at the other end.
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16:33Oisin Doherty
1-4 for Duignan now. Lovely curling score from the left.
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16:29Oisin Doherty
Offaly move 7 ahead. They've really put the foot down at the start of this second-half.
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16:26Oisin Doherty
Mitchell off the mark and Offaly lead by five again.
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16:25KEY EVENT
Oisín Kelly raises a green flag right at the beginning of the second-half!
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16:10Oisin Doherty
16:08Oisin Doherty
16:07KEY EVENT
Laois have been well on top since falling four points behind minutes into the game. They trail by one at the break, but have definitely been the more impressive outfit.
16:02Oisin Doherty
Eight points coming directly from the Laois midfield now who are well on top.
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15:58Oisin Doherty
All square approaching half-time.
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15:58Oisin Doherty
Laois have really roared back into this game. They lead by one, but since the opening minute of the game, they have outscored Offaly by 5 points.
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