Laois will ply their trade in the top tier for an eighth consecutive season in 2022 after coming from nine points down to beat 14-man Westmeath 1-27 to 0-27 in this evening's Allianz Hurling League Division 1 relegation play-off clash at MW Hire O'Moore Park.

Seamus 'Cheddar' Plunkett's charges seemed destined to make the drop when trailing 0-16 to 0-7 with five minutes of normal-time remaining in the first-half.

Laois then struck for a fortuitous goal from Ross King after an attempted point had fell short before PJ Scully's sixth free cut the gap to five. 

However, it was a red card for Westmeath wing-back Aaron Craig moments later following a stamp on an opponent that proved to be a real turning point.

Ahead 0-18 to 1-9 half-time, Shane O'Brien's side managed to maintain a six-point lead until the second water-break despite their numerical disadvantage.

Laois eventually caught up with them though, they scored seven points in-a-row to hit the front, with the deadly accurate Scully finishing with 0-17.

Substitutes Derek McNicholas and Kevin Regan did get Westmeath back on level terms while McNicholas sent a penalty over the bar deep in injury-time.

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