Corby says Laois need a fast start if they are to get the better of Carlow

THE Joe McDonagh Cup is set to get underway this weekend, with the Laois hurlers travelling to Netwatch Cullen Park on Saturday evening to face Carlow in the opening round.

Speaking ahead of the clash, Clough/Ballacolla’s Aidan Corby reflected on Laois’s preparations since they were crowned Division 2 champions when beating Kerry at the end of March.

“They're going grand so they are in fairness, everything's kind of going to plan. The evenings are a bit brighter now as well so lads will be looking forward to going training that bit more. Looking forward to the championship now. Hopefully get off to a fast start because you need one the way the fixtures are lined out,” he said.

Laois’s fixture list is a daunting one, with Carlow, Antrim and Westmeath their first three games in the Joe McDonagh Cup. Corby knows how important it is to start strongly in such a cut-throat competition.

“Exactly, you don't really have any time to be waiting around, you need a quick start. A win in the first three games has you, not there, but you've pretty much one foot in the final. That's kind of our plan but it's Carlow's first game and that's what our main aim really is. You don't want to be losing that and then be on the back foot. The main aim is to get a win over Carlow and work from that,” Corby said.

The Laois midfielder joked that Laois will want to avoid the drama of last year, when they needed a last-minute goal against Carlow to reach the final in Croke Park.

“We couldn't have left it any tighter in fairness. It's the first game now. I know they'll be mad to get one over us after last year especially because it’s down in Carlow again, so it's going to be a fair old dog fight,” he added.

Laois enter this year’s Joe McDonagh Cup having won all seven of their Division 2 games, including lifting the league title. Corby says it’s hard to know whether that will help or hinder Laois, and that they’ll only know after the Carlow game where they stand.

“It's kind of hard to know really. If you win the first game you say it's great and if you lose it you could say you weren't playing good enough opposition. It's hard to say if it's either good or bad. I think everyone on the panel got game time over the league. In other years that wouldn't really happen if it was a bit more competitive. There's ups and downs to both.

It's hard to say either way if Division 2 would make much of a difference coming into the run of the championship,” he added.

Laois’ league final against Kerry saw them ease to victory, and Corby reckons their first-half performance was their best of the year so far.

“We were delighted with the final anyway. That was definitely our best performance, especially in the first half. It dipped a bit in the second half, but we felt that the first half was the best team performance we had this year anyway. I suppose it's perfect timing running into the championship,” Corby said.

Looking ahead to the game in Carlow on Saturday, Corby detailed where he thinks the contest could be won or lost.

“They have savage ball winners. They have 3 or 4 lads up front that are top-class forwards. We’ll have to try and manage them. Ruck balls I suppose and stuff like that is the main thing. We’ll have to try to stop their ball winners getting on to it, especially the 3 lads up front.

They could probably make most county teams, they’re class. If you can try and hold them, you have a good chance and you can see where it goes from there,” he said.

The midfield battle and the battle from half-back to half-forward is often decisive in modern hurling.

“It's that middle third from the half-backs to the half-forwards, if you're on top in those positions, you have a fairly good chance of winning the game. That's where most of the ball is played really, between puck outs and whatever else. There's a big emphasis on that middle third. If you can get on top there, you do have a very good chance of winning the game,” the Clough/Ballacolla clubman commented.

One man back in the Laois fold this year is Corby’s club teammate Stephen ‘Picky’ Maher, who suffered an ACL injury that ruled him out for most of 2025. Corby is delighted to have him back involved and believes he will be a major asset, particularly for younger players.

“Ah sure, it’s class. Picky has been easily the best hurler in Laois I'd say, I don't know for how long, since he came up senior nearly. The experience he has, especially on big days and stuff like that. He's an extra voice in the dressing room as well, which is massive because it's a young enough team too. Having Picky there is a big boost, and a lot of the younger lads can learn off him as well. It's massive to have him back, I'm delighted he's there,” Corby concluded.