Laois get provincial championship to a good start when easily accounting for Kerry
Luke Hynes (Laois) securing this sliotar at Laois Hire O'Moore Park Photo: Denis Byrne
Laois opened up their Leinster Minor Hurling Championship with an impressive seven-point win over Kerry in Laois Hire O'Moore Park on Saturday.
In truth Laois should of won by a lot more but being very wasteful in both halves clocking up a total of 18 wides. They will have to work hard on improving their shooting if they hold aspirations of progressing further.
Laois got the scoreboard going through Callum Jones, but Kerry responded with a free from Sean Ross who was excellent throughout.
The victors then had a purple patch as momentum turned to their side hitting the next four points through Tadhg Lowry, Bobby O'Connor, Cillian Hoey and Oisin Galligan to give Laois an early lead.
Kerry responded with two more points through David Cullinan and Thomas Scanlon to keep their side just in touch.
Laois then struck for the only goal in the game through Bobby O'Connor who finished brilliantly to give Laois a bit of daylight. Callum Jones added Laois further ahead with another point. It was all Laois at this stage, but they kept Kerry in the game with wasteful shooting.
Momentum soon swung in Kerry's direction as they hit four points in a row through Ross, Matthew O'Flaherty, Billy Moriarty and Ben O'Connor to get their team right back into the contest.
Luke Hynes and Sean Ross traded points as the game started to even out. Jones and Tadgh Lowry added two more points to re-establish the four-point gap.
Both teams traded scores before the break with Ross and Bobby O'Connor scoring to leave the scores at 1-10 to 0-9 to Laois at half time.
Luke Hynes and Lowry added two points after the break as Laois looked to pull away. Sean Ross was keeping Kerry in the game with another free.
But every time Kerry got within reach of Laois, Laois found scores Rory Standish and Oisin Gilligan added two more scores for Laois.
Ross nailed another free and then Laois took over the half and headed for home. They would hit the next four points to take the game away from Kerry.
Gilligan got a brace, while Lowry and O'Connor added the other points for Laois. To Kerry's credit they continued to battle back and would hit another three points without reply.
Ross hit two frees while Billy Moriarty also got another point for the away side. Both teams would trade scored to end the contest, with Cillian Hoey getting the Laois score while Ross finished the scoring with another free as Laois held out for victory.
Bobby O'Connor 1-3, Tadgh Lowry and Oisin Gilligan (0-1f) 0-4 each, Callum Jones 0-3, Cillin Hoey and Luke Hynes 0-2 each, Rory Standish 0-1.
Sean Ross 0-10 (0-7fs), David Cullinan, Thomas Scanlon, Matthew O'Flaherty, Billy Moriarty and Ben O'Connor 0-1 each.
Ryan Keeshan (Rathdowney/Errill); Conor Hickey (Borris/Kilcotton), Jack Rice(Mountrath), Darragh Keeshan (Borris/Kilcotton); Harry Donoghue(The Harps), Oisin McRedmond (Portlaoise), Dan Bowe (Rathdowney/Errill); Luke Hynes(Camross), Rory Standish (Rathdowney/Errill); Jamie Mahony (The Harps), Callum Jones (Borris/Kilcotton), Bobby O'Connor(Trumera); Oisin Gilligan(Ballyfin), Cillian Hoey(Portarlington), Tadhg Lowry(Camross).
Dan Downey(Park/Ratheniska-Timahoe) for Mahony (ht), Jerry O'Connell (Abbeyleix) for O'Connor (53m), Bobby McWey (Ballypickas) for Gilligan (61m).
Ben Lynch; Gary Parker, Stephen Harty, Joseph Field; Billy Moriarty, Thomas Scanlon, Tadhg Diggins; Noel O'Sullivan, Shay Barrett; Ben O'Connor, Matthew O'Flaherty, Ryan Carey; David Cullinan, Sean Ross, Darren McElligott.
Paddy Cronin for O'Connor (45m), Alan O'Connor for McElligott (45m), Matt Cronin for O'Sullivan (53m).
Sean Michael Maher
