Written by Laois PR Team
After a home win over Down in the opening round, the Laois Senior Hurlers seek a second win in a row when they travel to Hawkfield to take on Kildare this Sunday at 2pm in Mangaurd Park, for the Allianz Hurling League Division 2A Round 2 fixture.
Tickets can be purchased both online and in person using the following options below and if you cannot attend the game, live match scores and updates will be provided via Twitter.
Tickets can be purchased online here: https://am.ticketmaster.com/gaa/24HK1102
Tickets can be purchased in person via selected participating SuperValu stores: SuperValu Stradbally
Breslin’s SuperValu Rathdowney
McConville’s SuperValu Mountmellick
McLoughlin’s SuperValu Portarlington
Mulhall’s SuperValu Portlaoise
SuperValu Abbeyleix
SuperValu Parkside Portlaoise
Follow live match scores and updates on our official CLG Laois Twitter account: @CLGLaois
Radio: The match will be broadcast with live commentary on Midlands 103.
Manager Willie Maher has named the following side to face Kildare:
Starting 15:
1. Enda Rowland (Abbeyleix St.Lazarians)
2. Ian Shanahan (Ballinakill)
3. Liam O’Connell (Rathdowney-Errill)
4. Diarmaid Conway (Clough-Ballacolla)
5. Tom Cuddy (Camross)
6. Podge Delaney (The Harps)
7. Fiachra C-Fennell (Rosenallis)
8. Cody Comerford (The Harps)
9. Paddy Purcell (Rathdowney-Errill)
10. Martin Phelan (Castletown)
11. Stephen ‘Picky’ Maher (Clough-Ballacolla)
12. David Dooley (Rosenallis)
13. Jer Quinlan (Borris in Ossory-Kilcotton)
14. Aaron Dunphy (Borris in Ossory-Kilcotton)
15. Mark Dowling (Camross)
Subs: Cathal Dunne (Clough-Ballacolla), Noah Quinlan (Borris-Kilcotton), Ryan Mullaney
(Castletown), Gearoid Lynch (Ballinakill), James Duggan (The Harps), Stephen Bergin
(Clough-Ballacolla), Aidan Corby (Clough-Ballacolla), Eric Killeen (Rathdowney-Errill),
Liam Senior (Clonaslee-St Manman’s), Padraic Dunne (The Harps), Podge Lawlor
(Ballinakill)
There are 3 changes to the starting line up from the Down game:
The three changes are Padraig Delaney (The Harps), Fiachra C-Fennell (Rosenallis) and Cody Comerford (The Harps).
Stats:
From the Down game:
Picky Maher & Enda Rowland made their 100th overall appearances for Laois senior hurlers last weekend versus Down. Willie Dunphy made his 90th overall appearance.
For the Kildare game:
Enda Rowland will make his 50th league appearance versus Kildare (league alone).
Laois Round 1 Recap:
Allianz Hurling League Division 2A Round 1: Laois vs Down in Laois Hire O’Moore Park on Sunday February 4th.
Final score:
Laois: 2 – 18
Down: 0 – 17
Scorers: Jer Quinlan 1-3, Picky Maher 0-6 (1 from play), Aaron Dunphy and Willie Dunphy 0-3 each, Mark Dowling 1-0, Tom Cuddy 0-2, Cody Comerford 0-1.
The following players impressed on their national hurling league debuts for Laois:
Jer Quinlan (Borris in Ossory/Kilcotton)
Tom Cuddy (Camross)
David Dooley (Rosenallis)
Cody Comerford (The Harps)
Jer Quinlan had an outstanding debut and was a constant threat to the Down defence with a brilliant attacking performance consisting of scoring a total of 1-3, all from play.
The other standout player for Laois on the day was Liam O’Connell in the backline, who produced an excellent and solid defensive performance.
Cody Comerford was very impressive with his debut off the bench and has been awarded with a starting position this Sunday versus Kildare as a result.
Kildare Round 1 Recap:
After a narrow opening round defeat by 3 points away to Meath last Sunday, the Laois fixture is a particularly important one for Kildare to get their first points on the league table and avoid a second defeat in a row.
Final score:
Meath: 2 – 20
Kildare: 3 – 14
The standout players for Kildare on the day were the electric duo of Cian Boran and Conn Kehoe who both scored 1-1 each from play.
Another performance worthy of note, came from Jack Sheridan with a total score of 7 points (5 frees and two 65’s). Sheridan was also very close to adding a great goal from play to his total tally, only he was denied by an unbelievable save from Meath goalkeeper Charlie Ennis.
Jack Sheridan is already a familiar name to both players and fans of the 2023 Laois Senior Hurling Champions, Camross. Sheridan was man of the match and unstoppable with a total score of 1-10 (1-1 from play) as his club Naas (Kildare) defeated Camross (Laois) by 3 points in the Leinster Senior Hurling Championship Quarter Final which was held in Laois Hire O’Moore Park, Portlaoise not too long ago on the 12th of November 2023.
Previous meeting of Laois vs Kildare:
2023 Joe McDonagh Cup Round 4 in Laois Hire O’Moore Park on May 6th
Final score:
Laois: 1 – 23
Kildare: 0 – 11
The last time the sides met, Laois were convincing winners defeating Kildare by 15 points.
Courtesy of top form displays from both Stephen ‘Picky’ Maher (total score 0- 10, consisting of 8 frees and one 65) plus Tomas ‘Mossy’ Keyes who also scored a fantastic goal and point from play (1-1).
Despite defeat, the positives for Kildare that day were the resilient efforts from David Qualter who scored a total of 0-6 (5 from frees) and Cian Boran’s 3 points from play.
By Laois PRO Sat 10th Feb
