‘We are where we want to be now so we’ll go home happy enough’ - Fitzgerald 

LAOIS manager Tommy Fitzgerald was happy enough with his side’s win over London on Sunday afternoon.

Conditions were extremely difficult with a very hot sun sapping the energy of everyone in attendance but Laois got the job done with minimal fuss.

Speaking after the win, Fitzgerald said, “Job done yeah, we had to come here and get the two points to guarantee our place in the final.

“We are where we want to be now so we’ll go home happy enough.

“It was a patchy enough performance now to be honest with you.

“We created a few goal chances in the second half that we maybe didn’t in the first against the sweeper, which made it more difficult to create those opportunities.” He continued on to say, “We gave them a couple of handy scores, it was sloppy enough in some respects.

“We had one foot in the final coming over so it can be a tricky mindset coming into it so we did what we had to do and it was similar to last week.

“One big game left now.” Fitzgerald knows that Carlow will be coming in strong in June’s final and he said preparations are underway to avenge the loss earlier in the campaign on the big day.

“It’s a final and both teams set out at the start of the year to be there, I know it’s a cliché but it’s about whatever team turns up on the day and performs, and executes the basics well.

“Both teams are going to be up for it and both teams bring huge intensity so we just have to get our preparation correct over the next two weeks and we’ll land in to Croke Park hopefully in a good place.

“You look at our stats and the physiques of our lads, we match up with most counties.

Breaking ball was a big part of the play the last day against Carlow and we lost a lot of contested balls.

“That’s something we’ll be working on and Carlow are a good side, they won’t be simple.” Fitzgerald was asked if the Croke Park pitch may work in Laois’s favour, but as ever he was wary of the threat from the opposition point of view.

“It’s different to every other pitch but they’ve won more Joe Mcs than we have, they beat Offaly in a final there in 2023 so they’ve experience of going up there and winning and performing as well so it’s going to be an almighty challenge.

“Our goal from the start of the year has been very clear and Carlow and we’re now looking to achieve it.” Cody Comerford made his return from injury ahead of schedule and it a huge boost to the panel, and he’s also adding to Fitzgerald headaches for team selection for the final.

“He’s worked really hard to get himself back in a position to be on the pitch, he’s literally just back in terms of doing contact.

“He’s a class act and we had to give him that opportunity to go out and perform.

“It’s been a headache all year picking teams, we’ve a lot of players pushing and at a similar level.

“It makes it very difficult when we sit down to pick a team but it’s healthy from a competition point of view, everyone’s pushing each other and whatever team is picked the boys row in behind.”