History was made in Portlaoise on 14 June 2003, but not by hurlers

Tipperary 3-28

Laois 0-13 

HISTORY was made on that date in the Laois county grounds, but not by either of the hurling teams. Instead, it was the Munster Council of the Camogie Association that were making the headlines.

They had agreed to transfer their eagerly awaited senior camogie final, between Cork and Tipperary, as a curtain raiser for the senior hurling game. Cork were the reigning All-Ireland champions and retained their provincial title that day on Leinster soil.

On hurling front, it had been a busy year for Laois. It began in Aughrim where they were comfortable winners 2-22 to 0-10.

Next stop was Portlaoise and the visitors had crossed the Barrow Bridge. Carlow were a strong force but Laois, under Tipperary man Paudie Butler, ensured that by half time the game was as good as over. Damien Culleton and Robert Jones scored early goals and in the second half further green flags were raised by Joe Phelan, Liam Tynan and a second for Damien Culleton. At full time the scoreboard read 5-15 to 1-10 in favour of the O’Moores.

On 24 May Laois headed to Nowlan Park where a thriller and a late goal saw Laois 2-15 and Dublin 1-18. that meant a replay a week later, this time Dublin scored 3-11 to Laois 0-15.

James Young accounted for 0-30 points in the four games, Robert Jones scored 1-10 Liam Tynan 2-6, Damien Culleton 3-2, Bruno McCormack 0-5 and present manager, Tommy Fitzgerald 1-0.

Next up were the Premier County who not set the world on fire in any game. They lost to Kilkenny in the League final. In the Munster championship in Pairc Ui Chaoimh Clare prevailed 2-17 to 0-14.

Now Tipperary were headed for O’Moore Park. Laois had to make one late change, Tommy Fitzgerald, still U/21, went to corner forward.

Eoin Kelly was outstanding for the visitors while former Kilkenny player Denis Byrne was at full forward. One Conor Gleeson lined out at centre forward. By half time they had managed 2-10 to Laois’s 0-5.

Michael Doyle was manager and he experimented in the second half but it made little difference to the Laois defence as Tipperary ran out easy winners, 3-28 to 0-13.

Tipperary went on to beat Galway and Offaly before losing out to Kilkenny in the All-Ireland semi-final, who went on to beat Cork in the final SCORERS:

Tipperary: Eoin Kelly 2-8, Denis Byrne 0-6, Brian O’Meara 1-1, Paul Kelly Conor Gleeson and Mark O’Leary 0-3 each, Ger O’Grady 0-2, Benny Dunne and Lar Corbett 0-1 each.

Laois: James Young 0-5, Enda Meagher and Brian McCormack 0-2 each, David Cuddy, Liam Tynan, Canice Coonan and Joe Phelan 0- 1 each.

TIPPERARY: Brendan Cummins; Thomas Costelloe, Paul Curran, Martin Maher; Benny Dunne, Thomas Dunne, Paul Kelly; Eddie Enright, Eoin Brislane; John Carroll, Conor Gleeson, Mark O’Leary; Eoin Kelly, Denis Byrne, Brian O’Meara. Subs: Ger O’Grady for Gleeson, Lar Corbett for O’Meara, Aiden Butler for T Dunne, John Devane for Brislane, Liam Cahill for E Kelly.

LAOIS: John Lyons (Castletown); Lar Mahon (Rathdowney), Patrick “Pak” Cuddy (Camross), Paul Drennan (Kilcotton); Cyril Cuddy (Castletown), Paul Cuddy (Castletown), Pat Mahon (Rathdowney); James Young (Clonaslee/St Manman’s), Robert Jones (Kilcotton); Joe Phelan (Portlaoise), Liam Tynan (Errill), Fionan O’Sullivan (Castletown); Tommy Fitzgerald (Portlaoise), David Cuddy (Castletown), Damien Culleton (Camross).

Subs: Enda Meagher (Rathdowney) for Phelan, Brian McCormack (Portlaoise) for O’Sullivan, Liam Wynne (Errill) for Drennan, Tom Phelan (Castletown) for Tynan, Canice Coonan (Clough/Ballacolla) for Wynne.

Referee: Tommy McIntyre (Antrim)