ANTRIM literally had to put the Kettle on to ensure a purposeful All Ireland qualifier against Galway next weekend.

After just 12 minutes of yesterday's championship meeting of hurling's socalled 'middle counties' in Belfast, reliable defender Mickey Kettle was called upon to nail Tommy Fitzgerald's quick feet to the ground before he caused maximum damage to the Saffron defence.

Laois, fresh from an inglorious defeat to Galway last weekend, had burst into a four-point lead when Antrim managers Dominic McKinley and Sambo McNaughton turned to the previously injured Kettle on the bench.

By then, the O'Moore County men, mainly through John Brophy's and Fitzgerald's incisive running, had Antrim rattled.

After Brophy opened the scoring with a point in the first minute, he and Fitzgerald opened up the home rearguard to find Ryan McGarry's net after just two minutes.

McGarry had pulled off a wonderful save to deny Fitzgerald but could do little to prevent the lurking Brophy from giving Laois . . . who were reduced to 14 men after the interval . . . a superb start.

Antrim clawed their way back with smart scoring but it wasn't until they managed to draw level in the 19th minute that last season's Christy Ring Cup winners started to kick on toward an anticipated victory.

Moments after securing parity with the National League Division Two winners Karl McKeegan, linking up with Neil McManus, blasted the ball beyond Patrick Mullaney in goal.

Ciaran Herron followed up his colleague's goal with an excellent long-range point and that was added to with further impressive points from McKeegan, Paul Shiels and Michael McCambridge.

If Laois' positive start was falling apart just before the interval, it all went utterly pear-shaped just four minutes into the second-half when Shane Dollard was dismissed for an off-the-ball clash that left Neil McManus floored and in need of medical assistance.

Though Damien Fox's men gallantly battled on, Antrim's lead was gradually stretched to help them finish the contest with a 10-point lead thanks a series of fine scores, including two from John McIntosh, a surprise exclusion from the starting lineup.

Matthew Whelan's point aside, the remainder of Laois' second-half scores came from James Young, who finished the day as his side's top scorer with nine points.

And with this defeat, Laois' All-Ireland interest is officially over before they face Clare next weekend in their final qualifier game.

ANTRIM R McGarry, A Graffin, K Kelly (0-1), S Delargy, M McCambridge (0-1), J Campbell, C Herron (0-3), K McKeegan (1-3), B Herron, P McGill (0-5), N McManus (0-2), M Herron (02), K Stewart (0-2), C Duf"n, P Shiels (0-2) SubsM Kettle for Kelly, 12 mins; J McIntosh (0-2) for Duffin, 51 mins Booked Campbell, 14 mins LAOIS P Mullaney, Sean Walsh, C Healy, C Dunne, Seamus Walsh, M Whelan (0-1), M McEvoy, J Fitzpatrick, S Dollard, J Brophy (1-1), J Young (0-9, 0-7 frees), JJ McHugh (0-1), T Fitzgerald (0-1), W Hyland, P Russell Subs B Fitzgerald for Hyland, half-time; E Jackman for JJ McHugh, 52 mins; D Bergin for P Russell, 55 mins; B McEvoy for J Fitzpatrick, 66 mins Referee F Smyth (Meath)