There have been some good days against Tipperary
PJ Cuddy, and Billy Bohane in the background, both of whom have had good days against Tipperary Photo: INPHO/Billy Stickland
ALREADY the pundits have written off any chance of a Laois victory in tomorrow’s clash with Tipperary at Laois Hire O’Moore Park Looking at a list of meetings between the counties, you cannot argue with the pundits, barstool or sober.
Perhaps the outstanding performance by any Laois team against the Premier County was in Centenary Year of 1984. A week previous Martin Cuddy stunned Kilkenny with a late goal meaning a Leinster quarter-final in Nowlan Park. The final score that day showed Laois had beaten Tipperary, 4-12 to 4-11.
On Easter Sunday, again in Nowlan Park, Laois faced Offaly. Cars backed up as far as Durrow as the heavens poured rain and Laois lost.
There was another fine display was in 1987 in the NHL played in Thurles where Laois came out on top on a score line of 3-15 to 3-7. Billy Bohane accounted for ten points. Others of note that day were the full forward line of Pat Critchley, PJ Cuddy and Seamus Plunkett. All three found the net. At the other end Michael Doyle, Nicky English were outstanding for the blue and gold, and scoring a goal and two points, was a promising school teacher named Michael Scully. He would later move to Portlaoise CBS until his retirement four years ago.
His son PJ was to become an outstanding minor hurler with Borris/Kilcotton, winning four medals, and has since advanced to the Laois senior set up and last Sunday came on and scored a point.
Laois contested the All-Ireland senior final against Tipperary in 1949. Paddy Ruschitzko led out the O’Moore County but it was the Munster men who came out on top.
