A LAST-MINUTE 65 calmly converted by James Young sent this NHL Division 1 relegation semi-final to extra time, no more than Laois deserved after a flying start and a gritty finish.

But when Des Mythen slipped in from the left to beat Laois's sub goal Tadhg Doran in the sixth minute of overtime, Wexford had both the momentum and the biggest lead they'd enjoyed all afternoon. There was no way back for their opponents from there on.

The modest attendance will have to go a long way to see a more outré opening quarter. Wexford had six points on the board by the time it was over. Rather more relevantly, Laois had three goals on the board, all of them arriving within the first 12 minutes.

To describe the Wexford full-back line's defending as sloppy is to be charitable in the extreme.

Laois found the net in their first serious attack, Enda Meagher flighting a lineball in from the right for Seamus Dwyer to grab above the scrum of players on the edge of the square, bustle through and finish past Damien Fitzhenry.

Three minutes later Keith Rossiter was unable to hold off the attentions of Paul Cuddy, the sliotar ran loose and James Hooban pounced from 10 metres, first-timing it crisply beyond the again helpless Fitzhenry.

A string of smooth Mythen points helped reduce the gap to two, 2-2 (L) to 0-6, but matters got worse for Wexford before they got better; Dwyer centred from the left and Philip Russell, who'd hit Laois's first two points, kept the ball in play, turned back inside and fired his county's third goal.

Predictably enough, that was more or less that for Dinny Cahill's side for the next 15 minutes.

Despite a plethora of flabby first touches and misplaced passes, Wexford bumbled their way back into the argument via three Rory Jacob points, another from his brother Michael and one from long range by Declan Ruth. They were back within range at half-time, trailing by 3-5 to 0-11. Near enough if good enough? Near enough and, frankly, bad enough.

But the favourites finally found their rhythm approaching the end of the third quarter. Stephen Doyle smacked home a ground ball from close range in the 49th minute after Rory Jacob kept Darren Stamp's cross in play, Jacob levelled the game 30 seconds later (L 38 W 1-14) and when he and his sibling promptly tacked on a point apiece, Wexford looked nailed-on winners.

Not so. Despite a late red card for Michael McEvoy, Laois screwed their courage to the sticking place and were rewarded with points from Russell and that Young 65'. Laois 3-12 Wexford 1-18.

Extra time beckoned.

The losers drew first blood with points by Hooban and Young, only to be blitzed with seven unanswered scores, Mythen's goal the third of them.

At the break, Wexford led by 2-24 to 3-14. This time they didn't let their advantage slip away.

WEXFORD D Fitzhenry; M Travers, K Rossiter, D O'Connor; K Kavanagh, D Ruth (0-2, 1f), C Kenny; D Stamp, D Lyng (0-3); E Quigley (0-3), MJ Furlong, D Mythen (1-4); S Doyle (1-1), R Jacob (0-9, 4fs), O Pitt.

Subs M Jacob (0-4) for Pitt, 30 mins; B Lambert (0-2) for Furlong, 50 mins; P Carley (0-4) for Doyle, 69 mins.

LAOIS P Mullaney; B Campion, Pakie Cuddy, M McEvoy; J Phelan, J Walsh, J Hyland; J Young (0-6, 3fs, 1 65'), J Fitzpatrick (0-2); E Meagher, K O'Keeffe, S Dwyer (1-0) ; P Russell (1-4), Paul Cuddy, J Hooban (1-1).

Subs E Jackman for O'Keeffe, 46 mins; D Cuddy (0-1) for Meagher, 56 mins; T Doran for Mullaney, 61 mins.

Referee J McDonnell (Tipperary)