LOOKING BACK Leinster MHC quarter-final 2013 Laois qualify for another semi-final

Laois 4-16 

Offaly 0-13 X

ALL of 12 years ago Laois minor hurlers were hoping to reach back to back Leinster semi-finals. Wexford had ended the dream a year earlier.

Portlaoise was the venue on a Saturday evening in May 2013 when Stephen Bergin gave Laois the perfect start picking a point after which he beat the visiting keeper with a well struck shot.

Joe Campion added a good goal and a third three pointer arrived after 20 minutes , Aiden Corby rattling the net.

The Offaly defence was being tormented by the hosts as points rained over from Joe Campion, Darragh Cripps, Leigh Bergin and Aiden Corby.

At half time Laois led 3-9 to 0-5 for the Faithful. Already Laois were talking about another semi-final appearance under Pat Critchley.

Offaly came out much improved. Points went sent over by Conor Doughan and Dylan Murray but goal attempts were snuffed out by an up and coming Enda Rowland. The Laois defence were moving up field where Liam O’Connell, Aiden Corby, Joe Campion added points.

Offaly went for broke but goals were ruled out although they picked off some good points and ten minutes from time the margin was down to nine points.

Urging from the dugout saw a good Laois attack and Stephen Bergin, who began the Laois goals, posted his second and that finished the Faithful rising. Points followed from substitute Ciaran Collier and Joe Campion.

For the second year in a row Laois had ended the ambitions of Offaly and for the second year in succession Laois would go on to face Wexford in the semi-final.

Laois won that game by a narrow margin on 23 June in Portlaoise on a scoreline of Laois 1-14 Wexford 0-13.

Team manager Glenn McEvoy and his players will be hoping for a similar outcome this afternoon.

SCORERS:

Laois: Steven Bergin 2-2, Aiden Corby 0-5, Joe Campion 1-2, John Lennon 1-1, Darragh Cripps 0-3, Ciaran Collier, Liam O’Connell and Leigh Bergin 0-1 each.

Offaly: Dylan Murray 0-7, Conor Doughan 0-3, Padraig Guinan, Jordan Fogarty and JK Kilmartin 0-1.

LAOIS: Enda Rowland (Abbeyleix); Ronan Broderick (Clough/Ballacolla), Ryan Mullaney (Castletown), Evan Cuddy (Castletown); Dwane Palmer (Camross), Ciaran McEvoy (Portlaoise), Colm Stapleton (Borris/Kilcotton); Leigh Bergin (Shanahoe), Ronan Delahunty (The Harps); John Lennon (Rosenallis), Joe Campion (Borris/Kilcotton); Aiden Corby (Clough/Ballacolla); Darragh Cripps (Shanahoe), Conor Ryan (Portlaoise); Steven Bergin (Clough/Ballacolla).

Subs: Ciaran Collier (Camross) for Delahunty, Liam O’Connell (Rathdowney/Errill) for Ryan, Mark Kavanagh (Rathdowney/Errill) for Cripps, Gavin Dunne (Portlaoise) for Palmer, Kevin Bergin (Clonad) for Bergin.

OFFALY: Eoin Cahill; Craig Taylor, Dan Doughan, Rhian Kelly; Emmett Nolan, Conor Doughan, Donal Mahon; Alan Spain, Ronan Hughes; David Kelly, Colm Daly, Padraig Guinan; Jordan Fogarty, J K Kilmartin, Dylan Murray.

Subs: Conor Freeman for A Spain, Daniel Spain for Kilmartin, Ben Connelly for Kelly, Shane Ryan for Fogarty Referee: Ger McGrath (Dublin)