The men from the north-west led by eight points at one stage, but had to withstand a spirited fightback from the O’Moore men after wing forward Adrian Hanlon picked up a second yellow card early in the second half.

Goals from skipper Michael Murphy and Colm McFadden had provided Donegal with a cushion that served them well in the end, as they hung on to win by a single point.

Donegal pressed forward in waves of attack right from the outset, and could well have had a couple of goals inside the opening five minutes.

First Colm McFadden’s fisted effort was superbly turned round a post by goalkeeper Eoin Culliton, with Michael Murphy converting the resultant ’45.

There was another let-off for the O’Moore men when Dermot Molloy broke through and drilled a low shot against an upright.

Niall Donoher levelled the scores with a wonderful point, sliced over off the outside of his right boot, before Mark McHugh and John O’Loughlin traded points.

Donegal finally got in for the goal they had been threatening when skipper Michael Murphy was fouled by Darren Strong in the 18th minute. The Tir Chonail skipper took the penalty himself, blasting a thunderbolt kick in off the underside of the crossbar.

When McFadden slotted over a couple of neat scores, the Ulster men led by 1-5 to 0-3.

Ross Munnelly and Donoher hit the target for Laois, with MJ Tierney converting a free, and at the break, they trailed by 1-5 to 0-5.

Donegal made a sensational start to the second half, Murphy floating over a wonderful point, before sending McFadden through for a clinically taken goal, all inside the opening 45 seconds.

They were reduced to 14 men when wing forward Adrian hanlon picked up a second yellow card in the 40th minute, and Laois staged a revival, with points from Paul Cahillane, Munnelly and Darren Strong.

Donegal’s short passing game frequently broke down, and a more direct Laois side narrowed the gap to three points through substitutes Cahillane and Donie Kingston with 20 minutes to play.

Kingston’s third had made it a one point game when McFadden converted a free to end a 21-minute barren spell for the Ulster men.

But they were forced onto the back foot by resurgent Laois, who added further scores through the exciting Kingston and O’Loughin, but fell just short.

Donegal: P Durkan, A Thompson, K Cassidy (0-1), K Lacey, M Boyle, F McGlynn, M McElhinney, R Kavanagh (0-1), K Rafferty, A Hanlon, M McHugh (0-1), D Molloy, R Bradley (0-1), M Murphy (1-3, 1-0 pen, 0-1f, 0-1 ’45), C McFadden (1-3, 0-1f).

Subs: N Gallagher for Rafferty, D McLaughlin for Molloy, D Walsh (0-1) for McElhinney

Laois: E Culliton, D Booth, K Meaney, M Timmons, D Strong (0-1), S Julian, P O’Leary, P Clancy, B Quigley, C Begley (0-1), J O’Loughlin (0-2), N Donoher (0-2), R Munnelly (0-2), B Sheehan, MJ Tierney (0-1, f).

Subs: C Healy for Booth, P Cahillane (0-3) for Clancy, D Kingston (0-4, 1f) for Tierney, K Lillis for Sheehan

Referee: M Duffy (Sligo).