Fighting Laois comeback not enough as Waterford prevail

Waterford 2-13 

Laois 0-16 

THE Laois Celtic Challenge cup team’s season has come to an end after an agonising loss to Waterford by three points in the LOETB Centre of Excellence on Saturday afternoon.

Laois were seven points down by the 16th minute and it looked grim for the home side, but they battled back and were two points up at one stage in the second half, but Waterford finished stronger and ultimately won the game.

The away side hit the first three points through Freddie Murphy, Mark Flanagan and Matthew Sweeney to give them an early lead.

Laois responded through Jack Kelly, but the away side took control of the game by hitting five points without reply.

Dean Cribbin, Freddie Murphy, Sean Óg O’Ryan, Alex Doyle and Sam McGrath were all on the scoresheet to put them in command.

Laois hit back though and got the last five points of the half through Jack Kelly and James Doherty both grabbed a brace of points along with Ross Quinlan to leave it 0-8 to 0-6 to Waterford at half time.

Laois came storming out of the blocks in the second half scoring four in a row to turn the game on its head. Doherty grabbed two further points with Bill Dunne and Ryan Brennan also chipping in.

Against the run of play Waterford struck for their first goal through Sean Óg O’Ryan to put Waterford back in the lead.

Laois didn’t let the goal unsettle them and hit three in a row to go back into the lead by a point. Doherty got two more with Ross Quinlan got the other and looked good for Laois as they were 0-13 to 1-9 up as the game entered the final quarter.

The next five minutes was all about Sean Óg O’Ryan, he hit three inspirational points two from difficult frees and the other from play.

He then got the defining score as a long ball in dropped short and he rose highest to flick it past Shane Carroll in the goals to lead by five points.

Doherty responded again for Laois, but Waterford had an answer to that with two from Mark Flanagan and Laois needed goals to get back into the game.

Quinlan got the last score of the game as Laois couldn’t find away past the Waterford rear guard and hung on for the win.

SCORERS:

Waterford: Sean Óg O’Ryan 2-3, Mark Flanagan 0-3 (fs), Freddie Murphy 0-2, Matthew Sweeney, Dean Cribbin, Alex Doyle and Sean McGrath 0-1 each.

Laois: James Doherty 0-7 (fs), Jack Kelly, Ross Quinlan 0-3 each, Ryan Brennan 0-2, Bill Dunne 0-1.

WATERFORD: Coleman Reilly; Richard Keane, David Prout, Sam McGrath; Jack Dowling, John Phelan, Patrick Ryan; Mark Flanagan, Matthew Sweeney; Alex Doyle, Freddie Murphy, Adam Hickey; Sean Óg O’Ryan, Dean Reddin, Shay McGrath.

LAOIS: Shane Carroll; Leo Guilfoyle, Paidi Fahey, Fionn O’Sullivan; David Peters, Dara Breslin, Fiac Gaffney; Danny Campion, Canice Meade; James Doherty, Cillian Dunne, Ryan Brennan; Bill Dunne, Ross Quinlan, Jack Kelly.

Subs: Jack Delaney, Patrick Bowe, Thomas Tynan, Ben Peake Aidan Byrne.