Antrim in controversial win over Laois
Antrim 1-18 Laois 3-12
Having led by seven points at the interval, Dinny Cahill's Antrim were forced to rely on a disputed late free from Karl McKeegan to draw 1-18 to 3-12 with Laois in today's NHL clash at Casement Park.
McKeegan had earlier goaled to help the Saffrons into a 1-10 to 1-03 lead at the break, with Mark Rooney replying with one of his own for the visitors.
Michael Herron and Darren Quinn notched early scores for Antrim before Rooney capitalised on a defensive lapse to net a tenth-minute goal for Laois.
However, Paddy Richmond (0-02) and McKeegan (0-05) steadied the Saffrons' nerves with their scores and Michael Herron's 24th-minute set-up was superbly smashed home by McKeegan.
A goalkeeping error from Antrim's DD Quinn - which saw a low Rooney shot trickle into the home net - saw Laois back into it on the restart.
As the clock ticked towards 60 minutes, Joe Phelan and Tommy Fitzgerald found their range for Laois as they reduced the deficit to just a single point.
Two Herron points rallied Antrim, but Liam Tynan's 65th-minute goal then pushed Laois in front.
McKeegan answered back a subsequent Cathal Brophy score and held his nerve deep into injury time, to point the leveller - after Armagh referee Ger Devlin had ruled that a Laois defender had thrown the sliotar in an attempted pass, rather than performing a legal handpass.
