Drama in Ennis as Laois battle bravely with 14 men
Evan O'Carroll was Laois's top scorer against Clare on Sunday Photo: Paul Dargan
LAOIS slipped to their second defeat of the Allianz Football League Division 3 campaign on Sunday afternoon as Clare prevailed in Ennis. The visitors were forced to play 50 minutes with 14 men after captain Brian Byrne received a straight red card.
Justin McNulty’s side made the trip to Zimmer Biomet Páirc Chíosóg on the back of their first win of the season against Sligo and named the same starting 15. With a strong wind at their backs in the opening half, Laois would have hoped to make it count.
Despite Clare seeing plenty of the early ball, it was Evan O’Carroll who opened the scoring with the first point of the contest. Eoin Cleary responded with two in succession to edge the Banner in front. Byrne then struck Laois’ first two-pointer, but Cleary added his third to leave the sides level after 15 minutes.
A goal opportunity came Laois’ way when Darragh Galvin dispossessed his marker and fed Rioghan Murphy, though the chance drifted wide. O’Carroll and Cleary swapped points before O’Carroll converted a free to nudge Laois 0-5 to 0-4 ahead.
The game’s pivotal moment followed in the 22nd minute when Byrne was shown a straight red card after an off-the-ball incident with Ikem Ugwueru, a decision that infuriated the Laois backroom team.
Clare capitalised, with Mark McInerney converting a free after Laois were penalised for not having three players in the opposition half. McInerney then pointed again to put the hosts two clear. Laois responded impressively, hitting four without reply, O’Carroll (free), Murphy and a two-point free from Killian Roche among them. Clare had the final say of the half through McInerney and Cleary, but 14-man Laois still held a slender 0-9 to 0-8 interval lead.
The second half nearly began disastrously for Laois when Stephen Ryan’s 45’ dropped dangerously, but Rob Tyrrell reacted quickly to clear off the line. Murphy opened the scoring after the restart before Clare captain Dermot Coughlan replied. Laois then struck for goal as Jake Darcy set up O’Carroll, who fired to the net.
With the wind now in their favour, Clare responded. Aaron Griffin landed a two-pointer, and Cleary added four more, including a two-point free after another three-up infringement, while Griffin also chipped in to push the Banner three ahead. Roche reduced the gap to one with an excellent two-point free into the breeze, but Cormac Murray restored Clare’s two-point cushion.
Clare were temporarily reduced to 14 men when Cillian Brennan saw black, and a penalty was awarded to Laois. O’Carroll’s spot kick, however, was saved by Ryan. The dismissal appeared to spark Laois, as substitutes Ciaran Burke and Darren Brennan scored before Paddy O’Sullivan finished to the net following neat interplay with O’Carroll and Paul Kingston.
Griffin ended Clare’s scoring drought with a free, leaving Laois 2-14 to 0-18 ahead as Brennan returned. Murray then levelled with a two-pointer, and Griffin followed with another from distance to put Clare two up inside the closing minutes. O’Carroll narrowed the gap with a free but missed a late chance to equalise. Cleary added a point before Jamie Stack secured possession from the kick-out to seal a three-point win.
Laois now turn their focus to a home clash with Westmeath in Portlaoise next Saturday evening.
Eoin Cleary 0-10 (1 tpf, 0-2fs), Aaron Griffin 0-6 (2 tps, 0-1f), Cormac Murray (1 tp) and Mark McInerney (0-1f) 0-3 each, Jamie Stack and Dermot Coughlan 0-1 each.
Evan O’Carroll 1-5 (0-3fs), Killian Roche 0-4 (2 tpfs), Paddy O’Sullivan 1-0, Brian Byrne (1 tp) and Rioghan Murphy (0-1f) 0-2 each, Darren Brennan and Ciaran Burke 0-1 each.
Stephen Ryan; Alan Sweeney, Ronan Lanigan, Manus Doherty; Dermot Coughlan, Ikem Ugwueru, Cillian Brennan; Brian McNamara, Josh Vaughan; Daniel Walsh, Aaron Griffin, Brendy Rouine; Eoin Cleary, Mark McInerney, Conor Meaney.
Cormac Murrary for McInerney (45m), Shane Griffin for Walsh (49m), Jamie Stack for Vaughan (62m).
Killian Roche (Killeshin); Ben Dempsey (Portlaoise), Trevor Collins (Graiguecullen), Jack Lacey (St Joseph's); Paddy O’Sullivan (Portarlington), Simon Fingleton (Park/Ratheniska), Kevin Swayne (Portlaoise); Rob Tyrrell (Courtwood), Conor Heffernan (Killeshin); Mikie Dempsey (St Joseph's), Brian Byrne (Captain, Graiguecullen), Josh Hogan (Portlaoise); Rioghan Murphy (Portarlington), Daragh Galvin (Portarlington), Evan O’Carroll (Crettyard).
Darren Brennan (Portlaoise) for Hogan (h/t),Jake Darcy (Annanough) for Lacey (h/t), Ciaran Burke (Crettyard) for Dempsey (45m), Ronan Coffey (Portarlington) for Galvin (49m), Paul Kingston (Arles Killeen) for Tyrrell (59m).
James Molloy (Galway)
