Westmeath earn sixth straight Allianz Football League win over Laois

Westmeath's recent good record against Laois in the Allianz Football League continued in O'Moore Park on Sunday afternoon as they did enough to come out on top in a hard-fought encounter in difficult conditions.

They have now beaten Laois in their last six league meetings as they finally stretched clear in the final quarter.

This was one for the purists. On a bitterly cold day with the wind swirling towards the apartment side of the Abbeyleix end, the first half was a real war of attrition.

Laois played with the breeze in the opening half but for long spells Westmeath dominated possession.

Yet neither side created much in the first 20 minutes.

Goalkeeper Danny Bolger banged over a long-range free from about 60 yards in the fifth minute but Westmeath took the lead when Luke Loughlin fisted a John Heslin effort to the net four minutes later.

Chances were few and far between at either end but Laois did work a brilliant move that ended with Mark Barry pointing and they were soon level when the impressive Eoin Lowry got his first point from play.

A John Heslin free and a Ronan O'Toole effort from play put Westmeath two up again - but two from Lowry and another long-range free from Bolger sent Laois in at half time leading by 0-06 to 1-02.

Conor McCormack levelled things up early in the second half and the sides then went score for score; Gary Walsh with two frees and one from play for Laois and Heslin, O'Toole and David Lynch all on target for the visitors.

But Westmeath then began to get on top in the final quarter and three quick points had them three in front.

The first could well have been a goal but Bolger did well to tip over Luke Loughlin's effort and then Alex Gardiner and Heslin (free) had them 1-09 to 0-09 clear.

Gary Walsh