Laois are through to the Joe McDonagh Cup final with a game to spare following an emphatic victory at home to Down at Laois Hire O'Moore Park.
Despite a slow start which saw Willie Maher's charges fail to score for the first 13 minutes, they more than made up for it after that as they won by 26 points in the end.
Four goals in a seven-minute period midway through the first half did the trick as Laois powered on from there to seal their place in Croke Park on 8 June. No matter what happens in their final game next weekend away to Westmeath, Laois cannot be caught at the summit of the table now with four wins from four.
Down did get the first two scores but then we had an injury delay when Mark Dowling sustained a dislocated elbow after forcing a great save from Down 'keeper Stephen Keith.
Laois introduced Cody Comerford which saw Jer Quinlan move into the full-forward line where he went to town on the Down defence. Although he didn't score any of the goals, he played a role in all four that Laois scored - with two each expertly taken by Tomas Keyes and Willie Dunphy from tight angles.
Down did rally somewhat before half time with Pearse Og McCrickard their best source of scores but Laois led 4-14 to 0-11 at the break.
The second half was a slow burner with just one score in the opening 10 minutes coming from Laois' Aaron Dunphy.
Down's Marc Fisher slotted a free in the 44th minute, which seemed to spark Laois into life as they struck the next six without reply.
Corby added a brace to his two first-half points while Ross King and Podge Delaney both got in on the action before James Duggan scored the point of the game with a one handed strike from the 21 as he was being fouled.
Paul Sheehan got Down back on the board with a free but once again Laois came back with a vengeance with scores from Cody Comerford, Quinlan, King and Ryan Mullaney.
The game had lost all atmosphere and intensity as Laois led by 25 points with just 10 minutes left to play and became somewhat of a shootout as Paddy Purcell, King, Dooley and Keyes pointed for Laois in response to scores from Sheahan.
Four minutes were signaled at the end of normal time once again and Laois saw out the victory with points from play by Martin Phelan and King to finish with a winning margin of 26 points.
Laois will face Westmeath next week in a contest which now matters little as they are guaranteed a spot in June's final against either Kerry or Offaly.
Laois: Enda Rowland; Ian Shanahan, Ryan Mullaney (0-01), Tom Cuddy; Liam O'Connell, Podge Delaney (0-01), Fiachra C Fennell; Aidan Corby (0-04), Paddy Purcell (0-02); Aaron Dunphy (0-05, 0-03fs), Jer Quinlan (0-03), David Dooley (0-03); Tomas Keyes (2-02), Mark Dowling, Willie Dunphy (2-02).
Subs: Cody Comerford (0-01) for Dowling (8, inj), James Duggan (0-01) for A Dunphy, Ross King (0-05, 0-03fs, 0-01 '65) for W Dunphy (45), Donnchadh Hartnett for Delaney (52), Martin Phelan (0-01) for Purcell (62).
Down: Stephen Keith; Matt Conlan (0-01), Cormac McAllister, Conor Cassidy; Caolan Taggart (0-01), Ruairi McCrickard, Tom Murray; Donal Hughes, Liam Savage; Finn Turpin (0-01), Eoghan Sands, Pearse Óg McCrickard (0-05, 0-03fs); Tom McGrattan (0-01), Phelim Savage (0-01), Daithi Sands (0-01).
Subs: Marc Fisher (0-01) for McAllister (ht), Daniel Toner for McGrattan (41), Paul Sheehan (0-04, 0-01f) for P McCrickard (45), Aodhan Furlong for Fisher (63), Oisin McManus for Turpin (62).
Referee: Colum Cunning (Antrim).
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