Laois hurlers must get back to winning ways against Antrim- or else
Aidan Corby in action against Carlow Photo: Denis Byrne
DESPITE being brought back down to earth by Carlow last weekend you might have expected that senior hurling manager Tommy Fitzgerald might have made a few changes to the side that will take on Antrim in Laois Hire O’Moore Park (4pm).
The nine point defeat at the hands of Carlow was a loss that shifted the mood around what had, until then, been a highly encouraging season.
Instead Fitzgerald has stuck with the 15 that started in Netwatch Cullen Park. Despite the below-par performance, the manager was keen to back his players.
“Nobody went out to get that result or that performance today. These are good lads, and they really love playing for Laois. They care about the jerseys. They know that they let themselves down today, and as a group, we did in terms of performance levels. We need to all pull together now because it's all on the line next Saturday,” Fitzgerald said.
Antrim also endured a surprise defeat in Round 1, losing to Down in a result that caught many observers off guard. That outcome leaves Davy Fitzgerald’s side in a similarly precarious position, meaning both teams approach this weekend’s clash knowing there is little margin for error.
There is one enforced change among the substitutes, with Jordan Walshe sidelined after sustaining an injury while playing with Clough/Ballacolla. David O’Brien comes into the matchday panel in his place.
LAOIS: Cathal Dunne (Clough/Ballacolla); Ian Shanahan (Ballinakill), Lee Cleere (Clough/Ballacolla), Diarmaid Conway (Clough/Ballacolla); Ciaran McEvoy (Portlaoise), Podge Delaney (The Harps), Fiachra C Fennell (Rosenallis); David Dooley (Rosenallis), Aidan Corby (Clough/Ballacolla); Aaron Dunphy (Clough/Ballacolla), Jack Kelly (Rathdowney/Errill), Ryan Mullaney (Castletown); Ben Conroy (Slieve Bloom), Martin Phelan (Castletown), Tomas Keyes (Camross).
SUBS: Eoin Reilly (Abbeyleix), Padraic Dunne The Harps), David O’Brien (Clonad), Eoin Gaughan (Camross), Fionán Mahoney (Abbeyleix), Gearoid Lynch Ballinakill), James Keyes (Colt Shanahoe), Cillian Dunne Clough/Ballacolla), Stephen Maher (Clough/Ballacolla), Mark Dowling (Camross), Cormac Byrne (Abbeyleix)
