You can’t win a game in the first eight minutes, but you can lose it

Sunday’s TG4 Intermediate Leinster final in TEG Cusack Park ultimately came down to a blistering opening spell from Westmeath - one that Laois never fully recovered from. While Laois will take heart from a spirited second-half display that saw them outscore their opponents 0-7 to 0-4, the damage had already been done in the opening eight minutes.

That early period saw Westmeath surge into a commanding 1-4 to 0-0 lead, with Laois struggling to gain any foothold in the game. From the throw-in, it was clear that Westmeath were sharper, more aggressive, and far more clinical in front of goal. A mix of poor decision-making, pressure-induced errors, and a failure to settle defensively left Laois chasing shadows. The concession of an early goal - capitalised upon after a short kick out miscue - was emblematic of their slow start, and it gave Westmeath the confidence to dictate the tempo throughout the first half.

Laois, to their credit, showed resilience after the break. Substitutes like Emily Lacey brought fresh energy and scoring threat, and the team began to move the ball with more purpose. Jane Moore and Mo Nerney also had bright moments as Laois began to ask serious questions of the Westmeath defence. In fact, Laois looked the better side for much of the second half, with improved structure, work rate, and belief.

However, by that stage, it had become a damage-limitation exercise. The urgency that marked their second-half performance was absent during the game’s opening exchanges, and that lack of intensity in the first quarter proved fatal. Even though Laois came close to creating game-changing moments—such as the first-half one-on-one chance that slipped away—Westmeath always seemed able to keep them at arm’s length.

What this game revealed most starkly is how decisive the opening minutes can be in championship football. Laois showed they can compete when they settle into a rhythm, but against a well-organised and clinical side like Westmeath, lapses early on are punished severely.

Still, all is not lost. Laois now turn their attention to the All-Ireland series with a renewed sense of what’s required from the first whistle. There are plenty of positives to build on from the second half, but the lesson from Sunday is clear: you can’t win a game in the first eight minutes, but you can certainly lose it.