Saturday’s quarter-final at O’Connor Park, Tullamore between the midland rivals seemed poised for extra-time until match winner Moore got on the end of a Ciaran McEvoy delivery and directed a deft flick beyond stranded Offaly ‘keeper Conor Clancy.

Laois hurled with the strong breeze in the opening half and they enjoyed an interval lead of 1-6 to 1-4. Daire Quinlan netted their goal and despite the blow of losing full back Paddy Bergin (knee injury) they stuck to their game-plan, with free taker PJ Scully and Cha Dwyer scoring important points.

Boosted by Sean T O’Connor’s goal, Offaly now had wind advantage to come on the resumption.

And Dylan Murray’s opportunist 44th minute goal along with points from sub Andrew Connolly and Cillian Kiely gave the ‘Faithful’ the edge and with six minutes remaining John Leahy’s side held a two-point cushion, 2-10 to 1-11. Then came Moore’s heroics.

Scorers for Laois: PJ Scully (0-6, 0-4 frees), D Quinlan (1-1), A Moore (1-1), C Dwyer (0-3), C Taylor (0-1), A Corby (0-1).

Scorers for Offaly: C Kiely (0-5, 0-4 frees), D Murray (1-1), S T O’Connor (1-0), K Dunne (0-2), A Connolly (0-2).

LAOIS: E Rowland; C Dunne, P Bergin, D Palmer; A McGowan, C McEvoy, G Dunne; C Stapleton, A Corby; C Taylor, C Dwyer, B Conroy; PJ Scully, D Quinlan, A Moore.

Subs: S Finan for P Bergin inj (13), J Lennon for C Taylor (38), D Lynch for D Quinlan (46).

OFFALY: C Clancy; D Murphy, A Browne, R Kelly; E Nolan, C Doughan (c), E Pilkington; A Spain, S O’Connor; G Crowe, K Dunne, K Bergin; S T O’Connor, C Kiely, D Murray.

Subs: A Connolly for E Pilkington (22), B Connors for K Bergin (50).

Referee: Paud O’Dwyer, Carlow.

-examiner.ie

FORTY-EIGHT years is a long time and that is how long it is since Laois lowered the colours of Kilkenny at minor hurling level and while that wait continues there were genuine signs that the days of heavy beatings might be behind them.

After a great performance against Westmeath the management was not getting carried away but quietly hoping they could build on that performance and that they certainly achieved.

The last thing the manager, Seamus Plunkett would have said as the left the dressing room was don’t give away a soft or an early goal.

But the first thing that happened was Kilkenny were awarded a semi-penalty and the net was dancing and almost from the puck out the ball returned between the uprights and already followers were fearing another black and amber whitewash.

But this team had prepared too well to allow Kilkenny walk all over them and five minutes into the game PJ Scully sent over an excellent point and suddenly the confidence was back in the home team.

From there to the half way mark Laois matched their opponents all over the field and some of the scoring from both sides was excellent.

The Laois defence came under severe pressure but every one stuck to their task and kept scoring down to the minimum.

Cha Dwyer at centre forward was going to be closely watched as he did his college hurling in Kilkenny and they appreciate his talent.

He chipped in with a couple of exquisite points as did PJ Scully and their link up play was very good.

Kilkenny showed their class at times and they always seemed to do less work to get on the score board than Laois but more than once goalkeeper Enda Rowland denied the Kittens a green flag.

In front of him the defence had a great understanding with Ciaran McEvoy excelling.

Just before the break Kilkenny stretched their advantage to five points, Rory Moran and Cha Dwyer trading late points and Laois faced a difficult task on the resumption playing into the Town end goal in search of scores.

Conor Martin, the visitors leading scorer extended Kilkenny’s lead after three minutes of the new half but PJ Scully replied before Kilkenny added two more before the 37th minute.

However, Laois were resolute and enjoyed a great spell of pressure that yielded six great points without reply.

Scully accounted for four and one each from Aiden Corby and Cha Dwyer left just a single point separating the teams with 13 minutes remaining.

Urged on by a big vocal following, Laois were playing the best hurling produced by an O’Moore side in any grade for a long time but Kilkenny rang the changes.

The introduction of David Bourke unsettled the Laois defence and after Bourke and Conor Martin restored a three point advantage it was Martin who buried Laois hopes with an opportunist goal.

After that Laois simply did not have the answers.

Pat Bergin was replaced by Dean Lynch but by now the horse had bolted and Kilkenny finished strongly with three late points and the only reply was a good point from play by Ben Conroy.

Laois now take on Offaly in O’Connor Park on Saturday next knowing that a repeat of this performance will earn them a fourth championship game and that would be major progress.

- Laois Nationalist

Two goals after half-time for Longford ultimately proved decisive as Laois exited the Leinster Minor Football Championship in Pearse Park on Wednesday night

Longford 2-10 Laois 1-10

Things were going well for Laois in the first-half as they matched Longford score for score going to the break level at 0-5 apiece. Longford were also down to 14 men after centre-back Jason Earley received a straight red card in the 16th minute.

Unfortunately for Laois, the home side started the second-half with a goal that gave them the momentum. To their credit Laois hit back with four points but Longford struck the killer bow ten minutes from time when substitute Liam Connerton fired an unstoppable shot to the back of the net.

That left Longford 2-9 to 0-9 in front but Laois continued to battle and a goal direct from a Paul Kingston free in the 58th minute gave them late hop.

However time was very much against George Doyle’s side and despite their best efforts, they could not snatch a second goal that would have forced the game to extra-time.

Longford now go on to face Dublin in the Leinster quarter-final

- Leinster Express

The visitors started brightly and goals from Joe Campion and PJ Scully helped them to a five-point lead after only six minutes, 2-1 to 0-2.

However, Westmeath rallied well and Killian Doyle’s goal in the 22nd minute, together with some weak shooting at the other end, kept the home team well in touch.

At the break, Laois led by 2-6 to 1-8 and the game was right in the mix for the second period.

Westmeath took control of the early stages of the half and Ciaran Doyle pounced for their second goal within two minutes of the restart.

His side were four points to the good at the end of the third quarter — 2-14 to 2-10 — during which the score-taking from both sides was of a particularly high standard.

A great strike from a penalty by Charlie Dwyer then brought Laois right back into contention, but it needed Conroy’s goal and an injury-time point from PJ Scully to secure victory for the visitors.

SCORERS — Laois: PJ Scully 1-7 (3f), B Conroy, C Dwyer (1-0 pen) 1-1 each, J Campion 1-0, C McEvoy 0-2 (1f), D Quinlan 0-1; Westmeath: C Doyle 1-5, N O’Brien 0-6 (5f), L Loughlin 0-3, K Doyle 1-0, R Greville, L McGrath 0-1 each.

LAOIS — E Rowland; D Palmer, P Bergin, A McGowan; C Dunne, C McEvoy, G Dunne; A Corby, C Taylor; D Quinlan, C Dwyer, B Conroy; J Lennon, J Campion, PJ Scully. Subs: A Moore for Lennon (h-t), C Stapleton for Campion (42), D Lynch for McGowan (56), R Delahunty for Quinlan (60).

WESTMEATH — C Lynch; P Reilly, L Varley, T Egan; K Glennon, T Gallagher, J McGrath; R Greville, E Quinn; L Loughlin, S Clavin, L McGrath; C Doyle, N O’Brien, K Doyle. Subs: D Clinton for Glennon (44), J Egan for Egan ( 60).

REF — D Harrington (Dublin).

- independent.ie

Wicklow’s minor footballers, who had not won a single match in the Leinster league, stepped up their game for the championship as they beat a fancied Laois team by two points at Aughrim.

Laois’s Paul Kingston opened for the visitors with a point inside 30 seconds, but Wicklow quickly dispelled any notion they were going to be easy pickings and dominated play throughout the first half.

Michael O’Connor fired to the net after 17 minutes, before midfielder Pat Phelan volleyed home a second and Wicklow led 2-1 to 0-3 at half-time.

Wicklow continued to set the pace and Daniel Dawson swung over two points to increase their lead.

Evan O’Carroll threw Laois a lifeline when he drilled to the net on 43 minutes, cutting the margin to 2-3 to 1-3. Laois piled on the pressure but Wicklow dug deep and held out for a win.

SCORERS — Wicklow: P Phelan, M O’Connor 1-1 each, D Dawson 0-2, C French 0-1; Laois: E O’Carroll 1-1, P Kingston 0-2, J Moore, M Lyons, N Mullins 0-1 each.

WICKLOW — R Fitzgerald; J Miley, R Marron, C O Dulachain; C Hatton, D Lohan, PJ Daly; P Phelan, T Donohoe; D Dawson, P Ellis, P Kelleher; M O’Connor, C French, K Kealy. Subs: A Howard for Kealy, K Geraghty for Donohoe, C Healy for Kelleher, A Nugent for O’Connor.

LAOIS — A O’Reilly; M Cahill, C Dunne, R Fennell; C Hogan, M Scully, R Dowling; C McEvoy, J Nerney; J Moore, M Lyons, E O’Carroll; E Lowry, P Kingston, N Mullins. Subs: J. Bartley for Scully, N Murphy for Fennell, A Farrell for Moore, D Cullen for Lowry.

REF — K Kelly (Carlow)

independent.ie

FULL FORWARD Jack Guiney finished with a personal tally of 3-4 as Wexford retained their Division One B status with a fully deserved win at Nowlan Park.

Laois were on top early in this game and led 0-5 to 0-1, due primarily to the accuracy of their centre forward and captain Willie Hyland, who finished with a score of 0-11 to his credit.

Wexford reduced the lead to 0-8 to 0-7 by the 29th minute. Then Guiney availed of good play by right full forward Paul Morris to fire his side’s first goal and put his side ahead for the first time.

Rory Jacob’s shot from the right wing then hung in the air and Paul Morris got a touch to beat Laois goalie Eoin Reilly as Wexford led 2-7 to 0-10 at the interval.

Within a minute of the restart good play by Wexford along the right wing enabled Jack Guiney to crash home his side’s third goal.

Laois never gave up and scored five unanswered points. Willie Phelan’s penalty effort on the hour rose then flew high over the bar to make it 3-11 to 0-17. But Wexford, by comparison, were clinical when it came to goalscoring and David Redmond finished a fine solo run with a goal before Guiney added his third goal before the finish.

WEXFORD : E Martin; W Devereux, P Roche, K Rossiter; R Kehoe, D Stamp, E Moore; D Redmond (1-0), M O’Hanlon; H Kehoe (0-2), D O’Keefe, D Lyng (0-1, line cut); P Morris (1-1), J Guiney (3-4, 0-3 frees, one 65), R Jacob (0-3). Subs: PJ Nolan (0-1) for O’Keeffe (27); J Tonks for Kehoe (50); G Sinnott for H Kehoe (57); S Murphy for Stamp (65); G Moore for Jacob (71).

LAOIS : E Reilly; B Smith, D Maher, C Coonan; C Dunne (0-1), M Whelan, M McEvoy (0-1), J Fitzpatrick, J Walsh (0-1); C Healy (0-1), W Hyland (0-11, nine frees, one sideline), D O’Mahoney; C Murray (0-3), T Fitzgerald, S Bourke (0-1). Subs: N Foyle for Coonan (39); B Reddin for Bourke (53); S Hanlon for Dunne (64); P Mullaney for Smith (67).

Referee : D Kirwan (Cork).

-Irish Times

O’Neill will become only the second Laois man to hold the position in the history of the GAA since Bob O’Keeffe held office between 1935 and 1938.

The Trumera man had previously been disappointed when he ran for President in 2008, but having found no candidates running against him last year, he will become the first ever President of the GAA to be elected unopposed.

The intervening twelve months have been as hectic as they come for O’Neill, as he just recently presented medals to the Donegal senior footballers on a Friday night, addressed a coaching conference in Carlow on Saturday afternoon, before then travelling on to Cork to attend the Congress for the Camogie Association.

It has been like that for O’Neill since he was confirmed as the incoming president, and he will face a nervy time of it over the weekend too, as the Go Games model which he helped to develop for footballers and hurlers from U-12 down will be challenged. A motion from Portarlington GAA to reduce the Go Games to U-10 age groups and lower is on clar for the Congress, but it remains to be seen if it will be passed.

Games promotion is an issue close to his heart, and he has intimated that he hopes a nationwide debate on how competitions are run and structured will take place during his term.

Fittingly, Liam’s first official function as President of the GAA will be one close to home, as he will officially open the club grounds for Trumera on Sunday afternoon.

The ceremony will take place at 3.30pm, with a charity game in the memory of Jim Savage taking place at 4pm, followed by a function in the community centre afterwards.

- Leinster Express

A goal in either half proved vital for Down as they secured an Allianz Football League Division 1 semi-final berth thanks to this final round 2-11 to 0-10 win in Portlaoise.

Conor Laverty (1-00) and Benny Coulter (1-01) raised the green flags in a game which Down led by 1-05 to 0-05 at half-time.

Gary Walsh, Brendan Quigley, Conor Boyle and Ross Munnelly kept Laois in touch, but Coulter’s 45th-minute strike sent the Mourne men through to the last-four and relegated the midlanders.

Laois were unchanged from the team named during the week, while Down manager James McCartan made two late changes to his starting line-up.

Both changes came in attack, with Kevin McKernan replacing Danny Hughes and Arthur McConville coming in for Conor Maginn.

Down settled quickest and opened the scoring through a McConville free. The hosts replied with a Gary Walsh score in the fifth minute, but Laverty rocked Laois with the first goal of the contest.

A high delivery into the Down full-forward line was palmed down by Coulter who knocked the ball into the path of Laverty and he fisted it past goalkeeper Eoin Culliton.

Down were more economical with their possession in the opening half, with Laois amassing eight wides by the interval - four of those in the opening nine minutes.

Colm Begley, Peter O’Leary, John O’Loughlin and Darren Strong were guilty of misses. They also had a point attempt from Walsh in the 11th minute ruled out by referee Syl Doyle.

Laois landed their first score in eight minutes thanks to a ‘45′ from Walsh, but Down looked sharp and outscored their opponents by three points to one between the 14th and 23rd minutes.

Mark Poland had two goal-scoring chances blocked by Culliton in the 24th minute before Conor Boyle claimed a rare score for the O’Moore men.

A blazing shot from McConville in the 32nd minute represented Down’s ifrst wide, and two further missed chances followed from Coulter and Kevin McKernan inside a three-minute spell.

Ross Munnelly and Keith Quinn then traded points to ensure Down led by 1-05 to 0-05 at the break.

Laois manager Justin McNulty hoped that the introduction of NUI Maynooth student Paul Cahillane would add a bit of fire to his attack in the second half, but agains the visitors started strongly.

Down had a chance to open their second half account when McConville cut loose in the 40th minute. The Under-21 player bore down on goal, but the Clonduff clubman was denied by a superb block from Culliton.

Down continued to press hard, aided by their strong dominance at midfield which ensured some quality ball for their forwards.

Aidan Carr missed two scoring opportunities inside three minutes, yet Coulter made amends to slot over his first point in the 41st minute.

Down, who lost full-back Dan Gordon to injury, opened up the Laois rearguard again shortly afterwards as Coulter picked off his goal.

Laverty combined with Carr in the build-up, with the latter laying the ball off to the inrushing Coulter whose precision finish put the visitors six points ahead.

Substitutes Damien O’Connor and Cahillane replied for Laois who were hampered by yellow cards for Padraig Clancy and Cahir Healy..

McConville landed his third point and then Down captain Mark Poland added another, but only after Culliton again pulled off a superb save - this time he foiled McConville.

Substitute David Conway pegged a point back for Laois with exactly 10 minutes remaining. Down though were good value for their 2-08 to 0-09 lead.

Laois lacked the clinical edge to really heap the pressure on McCartan’s side. Peter O’Leary had a goal-bound shot saved by net minder Brendan McVeigh, and Cahillane failed to convert the resulting ‘45′.

Colm Kelly became the midlanders’ ninth scorer of the day as the gap was cut to four points. However, Laois needed a goal at this stage and it never came.

Closing points from Ambrose Rogers, Carr and Quinn ensured a seven-point victory for Down, who finished third in the final Division 1 table just behind semi-final opponents Cork.

Scorers - Laois: G Walsh 0-02 (0-01f, 0-01 ‘45′), C Begley, R Munnelly (0-01f), C Kelly (0-01f), D Conway (0-01f), B Quigley, C Boyle, D O’Connor, P Cahillane 0-01 each

Down: B Coulter 1-01, C Laverty 1-00, A McConville 0-03 (0-02f), K Quinn, A Carr (0-01f) 0-02 each, M Poland, A Rogers, C Garvey 0-01 each

LAOIS: E Culliton; M Timmons, C Healy, K Lillis; K Meaney, P O’Leary, C Boyle; J O’Loughlin, B Quigley; B Sheehan, R Munnelly, D Strong; C Begley, P Clancy, G Walsh.

Subs used: D O’Connor for Timmons (25 mins), P Cahillane for Walsh (half-time), D Conway for Munnelly (53), C Kelly for Sheehan (59), S Conroy for Clancy (70+1).

DOWN: B McVeigh; D McCartan, D Gordon, A Branagan; N McParland, B McArdle, C Garvey; A Rogers, K King; K McKernan, M Poland, A Carr; B Coulter, C Laverty, A McConville.

Subs used: K Quinn for McParland (32 mins), D Turley for Gordon (44), N Branagan for A Branagan (66), M Miskelly for Laverty (70+1).

Referee: Syl Doyle (Wexford)

WEXFORD TOOK the psychological boost away from this clash as they hammered a poor Laois outfit with 15 points to spare in this Division One B National Hurling League game played at Bellefield yesterday afternoon.

These two sides must do it all over again in two weeks’ time when they meet in the relegation play-off, but Wexford will not be fooled by Laois’s input to this game, which was meaningless.

It was difficult to ascertain Laois’s approach to this game, for the side bore little semblance to the side listed in the programme, with changes in personnel and positional switches in every line.

While this fifth successive league defeat will have done little for their confidence one can expect a whole new approach come the relegation play-off.

Wexford dominated this encounter from the very outset racing into a 2-9 to 0-9 lead by half-time with Paul Morris and Jack Guiney striking the goals.

Within 30 seconds of the restart Laois were dealt a double blow. Corner-forward Paul Morris knifed his way through the defence to power a low shot past goalkeeper Danny Hanlon, and in the lead up to the goal corner-back Paddy Mullaney was yellow-carded for a wild pull on Morris, his second of the game to end the game as a contest.

WEXFORD: E Martin; W Devereux, P Roche, E Moore; R Kehoe, D Stamp, S Murphy (0-1); M O’Hanlon, E Quigley; H Kehoe (0-2), J Leacy, D Lyng (0-1); P Morris (2-2), J Guiney (1-8, 1-5 frees, 0-1 65), R Jacob (1-2). Subs: J Tonks for Stamp (half-time), I Byrne for for Leacy (half-time), PJ Nolan (0-1) for Quigley (inj, 46 mins), B Kenny for Murphy (51 mins), J Fogarty (0-1) for Jacob (51 mins).

LAOIS: D Hanlon; P Mullaney, D Maher, B Stapleton; B Guilfoyle, M Whelan (0-2, one free), S Bourke; C Coonan, J Walsh (0-1); S Lowney (0-3), A Collier, D O’Mahoney; C Murray, W Hyland (0-9, three frees, One 65), B Reddon. Subs: N Unwin for Guilfoyle (53 mins), G Burke for Bourke (55 mins), M Meade for Stapleton (55 mins), B Dunne for Lowney (59 mins), W Dunphy for Walsh (64 mins).

Referee: T Carroll (Offaly)

-irishtimes.com

Laois recovered from a very shaky start to secure a fine victory over Armagh in an incident-packed game at O’Moore Park this afternoon.

Armagh were furious at the final whistle after being forced to play the entire second half without centre-back, Ciaran McKeever.

The former Orchard captain was shown a red card by referee Michael Duffy after the teams came out to start the second half, and he refused to leave the pitch until selector Paul Grimley finally prevailed on him to do so.

At the final whistle, Grimley remonstrated angrily with Duffy but with a linesman having reported McKeever for an alleged strike on Laois forward, Billy Sheehan as the teams headed for the dressing rooms at half time, the Sligo official was left with no alternative.

Armagh threatened to run riot in the opening quarter and might well have been out of sight but for the heroics of goalkeeper Eoin Culliton.

Culliton has shown himself to be one of the country’s premier shot-stoppers since cementing his position between the posts for Laois and he denied Gavin McParland twice early on before making another good save from Caolan Rafferty.

Armagh certainly looked the more likely victors early on, Brian Mallon converting a free and Aidan Forker fisting over after a strong run.

Colm Begley curled over brilliantly to open the scoring for Laois from almost their first attack in the tenth minute, and Culliton’s saves from Rafferty either side of that score were critical.

Adrian Kelly cut an isolated figure for Laois at full-forward but the home side gradually settled and began to create more from a deeper position.

Michael John Tierney, Begley and the influential Billy Sheehan all kicked tremendous scores to open up a two-point advantage. By the time Ross Munnelly finished following a pacy inter-change involving Conor Boyle, Brendan Quigley and Sheehan on the half-hour, there were four points between the sides.

Forker had missed a couple of opportunities from frees in this period before finally landing one and Laois led at the interval by 0-7 to 0-4.

Armagh were clearly put out of their stride by the drama before the second half began and successive points from Darren Strong, Munnelly, Paul Cahillane, Kevin Meaney and Begley put them eight points clear.

Culliton had made a stunning double-stop from Finnian Moriarty by this stage though and there was no surprise when Armagh eventually goaled in the 50th minute, Rafferty slotting home the rebound after Moriarty’s shot had cannoned off the crossbar.

Suddenly, Paddy O’Rourke’s crew were galvanised and scoring five of the next six points, they were the team on the front foot, just two points in arrears with ten minutes remaining.

Cahillane slotted a goal from close range in the 62nd minute, however and points from Damien O’Connor and Colm Kelly (free) guaranteed Laois a vital win.

Laois: E Culliton; C Healy, K Lillis, P O’Leary; K Meaney 0-1, M Timmons 0-1, C Boyle; B Quigley, J O’Loughlin; C Begley 0-3, B Sheehan 0-1, D Strong 0-1; MJ Tierney 0-3(fs), A Kelly, R Munnelly 0-2. Sub: P Cahillane 1-1 for Kelly (ht); D O’Connor 0-1 for Tierney (56); J Kavanagh for Sheehan (68); C Kelly for O’Loughlin (70+1); O’Loughlin for Begley blood (70+1).

Armagh: P McEvoy; F Moriarty, D McKenna, A Mallon; K Dyas, C McKeever, P Duffy; P Carragher, BJ Padden; A Forker 0-2(1f), C Watters, A Duffy; B Mallon 0-2(fs), G McParland 0-1, C Rafferty. Sub: J Lavery for Carragher inj (25); C Vernon for Padden (41); M O’Rourke for McParland (41); J Kingham 0-1 for Forker (50); R Rafferty for Watters (64).

Referee: Michael Duffy (Sligo).

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