Laois Minor & U20: Standout Players from recent Leinster Championship games. 

Laois Minor & U20: Standout Players from recent Leinster Championship games. 

Leinster Minor Football Championship Round 2  

Next up: Round 3: Laois play Meath at home tonight Tuesday April 14th at 7.30pm in Laois Hire O’Moore Park and a Laois win will see them progress to the quarter finals.

Round 2 Result:

Laois: 0.11

Louth: 0.19

Standout Laois Players vs Louth:

Dan Downey stood out at right corner back with his strength, pace, compusure and alertness. He was particularly strong in making key interceptions to prevent attacks and win back the ball from Louth attackers, being the 1st man out to win long ball kicked in and helped set up key scores that were a result of these turnovers. His runs deep from defense to clear danger, ability to draw fouls, and defensive pressure were vital, along with a key intervention to stop a Louth goal chance that went wide as a result of Dan Downey’s high intensity man marking pressure.

Cillin Hoey impressed at full back with a crucial block to deny a certain Louth goal in the first half and was very effective in the second half particularly when he moved into midfield. He won kickouts, made intelligent runs, linked play well with sharp quick hand passing, and helped create scoring chances, including a two-point free scored by Fionnan Brennan. He was also really effective in winning a huge amount of breaking ball for Laois.

Aaron Mackey delivered a strong all-round display from full forward, highlighted early in the game by a superb low kick pass directly to Ethan Neilson for a point. He was excellent physically, holding off opponents challenges when he was on the ball and created a crucial turnover in the Laois defence. His work rate was relentless throughout and the effort he put in was massive. He was constantly moving quickly from defence to attack and he played a big role all over the pitch, he combined very well in particular with Cillin Hoey where the 2 of them created an abundance of chances, including setups for Tom Lawler’s scores.

Leinster U20 Football Championship Shield Competition: Andrew Corden Cup Quarter Final

Laois: 3.17

Carlow: 2.17

Next up: Laois recieved a bye from the semi finals to the Andrew Corden Cup Final and will face the semi final winner of Wexford or Wicklow.

Standout Laois Players v Carlow:

Robbie Murphy showed excellent work rate, winning key turnovers through strong tackling and constant pressure both on and off the ball. He battled well in possession, was very strong in midfield, winning three kickouts in the first half and excelling on breaking ball in the second. He kept play moving with quick hand passes to launch attacks and also applied solid man-marking pressure throughout.

Dan Boland impressed at full back with strong tackling and turnovers, while also driving forward with pace to support attacks. He helped set up scores, including a Paddy Fitzpatrick point and an Eanna Byrne free, and showed great skill with a turnover and low kick pass that led to an Oisín Hade point. He was also dominant under the high ball.

Tom O’Connell made a superb impact off the bench in the second half. He produced a brilliant interception by breaking between two players to clear danger and followed it up by preventing a Carlow goal chance in the next play, showing great awareness and composure.

Leinster Minor Hurling Championship Phase 1 Round 4

Next up: Laois will face Galway at home in Tier 1 of the Leinster Minor Hurling Championship this Saturday April 18th at 12 noon in Laois Hire O’Moore Park.

Laois: 2.17

Antrim: 1.18

Standout Laois Players v Antrim:

Darragh Keeshan was a rock in defence, combining tight man-marking with crucial blocks and relentless pressure on his opponents. His defensive work helped deny Antrim a clear goal chance, forcing a shot wide under pressure. He also showed strong positional awareness in the full-back line, dealing effectively with breaking ball by gathering loose possession and clearing his lines. One of his clearances led directly to a score for Luke Hynes, underlining his importance in both defence and transition.

Luke Hynes delivered a very strong midfield performance, working tirelessly to win puckouts and drive Laois forward. He showed great awareness and vision, setting up a score for Callum Jones with a sharp run and well-timed handpass. Hynes was also a scoring threat himself, landing two great points from play with excellent accuracy and composure. His energy and ability to link defence and attack made him a key influence throughout.

Callum Jones was a lively and dangerous presence in the half-forward line, using his pace and movement to constantly trouble the Antrim defence. His bursting runs created space and opened up attacking opportunities, while his quick hands and accurate short and long deliveries helped set up several scores, particularly for LJ Cuddy. Jones also showcased his own scoring ability with an outstanding point from inside his own half against the wind, along with another point from play to finish with 0-2. His intelligent movement and work rate made him a key attacking outlet for Laois.

Leinster U20 Hurling Championship Round 2 

Up next: Laois face Meath away on Wednesday April 22nd for Round 3 and whoever wins this game will progress to the quarter finals.

Laois: 1.14

Dublin: 1.22

Standout Laois Players v Dublin:

Cormac Byrne was a key attacking figure for Laois in the full forward line, finishing with 0-4 and showing composure from frees and open play. He was heavily involved throughout, consistently getting on the ball in dangerous areas and responding at important moments to help keep Laois in front. His accuracy and work rate made him one of Laois’ most reliable forwards on the day.

Tony Mahony was very influential from the half-forward line, contributing 0-3 and offering a constant outlet in attack. He showed smart movement and good awareness to find space, taking his scores well when chances came. Mahony remained a lively presence throughout, linking play and keeping Laois dangerous in transition.

Hugh Whelan impressed from the half back line with two outstanding long-range points, both struck with confidence in testing conditions. He provided crucial scores from distance at key stages of the game and showed excellent striking ability. His contribution from deeper positions gave Laois an important attacking edge when they were under pressure.

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