Laois and Meath will meet again this Saturday

Laois senior footballers will live to fight another day in the Leinster SFC after an excellent, whole-hearted display saw them draw with Meath in Croke Park on Sunday.

Laois 1-16 Meath 2-13

* after extra time

Laois were underdogs going into the game, and for the first 50 minutes or so played as though they intended to live up to that title, as they trailed Meath throughout.

Meath took the lead early on with a goal from Graham Reilly, and were four ahead at the break, 1-6 to 0-5.

Reilly pushed them further ahead on the restart, but slowly Laois started to find their form and find space in the Meath defence.
They really kicked into life with 12 minutes remaining as a wonderful goal from Padraig McMahon’s sparked the comeback, and Laois were now right back in the game. Two points from Padraig Clancy leveled the game and extra time ensued.

Meath went two points up in the first period of extra time, but Laois were level by the break thanks to points from Donie Kingston and Cahir Healy.

Disaster then struck in the second period of extra time, as goalkeeper Micky Nolan misjudged the flight of a high ball and it wound up in the net. Undeterred, Laois showed real guts and spirit to come back, with MJ Tierney pointing a free and John O’Loughlin coming good with two late points to bring Laois level once again.

The replay will take place next Saturday, with a time and venue to be decided by the Leinster Council during the week.

For more from this game, including reaction and match stats, see the print edition of this week’s Leinster Express.

SCORERS – Laois: Donie Kingston 0-6 (three frees), MJ Tierney 0-3 (two frees, one 45), Padraig McMahon 1-0, John O’Loughlin, Padraig Clancy 0-2 each, Ross Munnelly (free), Darren Strong, Cahir Healy 0-1 each

Meath: Graham Reilly 1-4, Joe Sheridan 0-3, Cormac McGuiness 1-0, Cian Ward (frees), Shane O’Rourke 0-2 each, Stephen Bray, Conor Gillespie 0-1 each

LAOIS: Michael Nolan; Peter O’Leary, Mark Timmons, Padraig McMahon; Cahir Healy, Cathal Ryan, Colm Begley; Brendan Quigley, Kevin Meaney; Billy Sheehan, Craig Rogers, Darren Strong; Paul Cahillane, Donie Kingston, Ross Munnelly. Subs: Padraig Clancy for Cahillane (30 mins), Denis Booth for McMahon (42 mins – blood sub – back in 45 mins), John O’Loughlin for Sheehan (49 mins), MJ Tierney for Strong (51 mins), Paul Lawlor for Rogers (64 mins), Denis Booth for Ryan (76 mins), Niall Donoher for Munnelly (85 mins), Darren Rooney for Meaney (86 mins – injured)

MEATH: Paddy O’Rourke; Chris O’Connor, Kevin Reilly, Eoghan Harrington; Anthony Moyles, Michael Burke, Caomhin King; Brian Meade, Mark Ward; Seamus Kenny, Stephen Bray, Graham Reilly; Shane O’Rourke, Joe Sheridan, Cian Ward. Subs: Peadar Byrne for G Reilly (56 mins – injured), Jamie Queeney for C Ward (63 mins), Gary O’Brien for King (70 mins – injured), Brian Farrell for Bray (70 mins), Conor Gillespie for M Ward (70 mins), Cormac McGuinness for Kenny (70 mins)

Referee: Marty Duffy (Sligo)

By Rory Delaney, Leinster Express

Filed under: Laois Football