Written By Laois PR Team
We round up the past week of both our Footballers and Hurlers in Minor & U20 Leinster Championship action.
Laois U20 Football
U20 Leinster Football Championship Round 2: Wexford vs Laois in Mc Cauley Park, Bellefield, Enniscorthy on April 2nd
Final score:
Wexford: 0-9
Laois: 1-9
Standout players for Laois: The half back line trio of Cormac Murphy (St.Joseph’s), John Brennan (Crettyard) and Darragh Slevin (Portarlington) put in an immense work rate.
Cormac Murphy of St.Joseph’s won possession, moved well on the ball and then followed this up by making accurate passes to his teammates moving up the pitch.
Crettyard’s John Brennan made a hugely important last ditch tackle on a Wexford attacker to prevent a one on one shot on the Laois goal at Laois goalkeeper Conor Brown, and won back the ball, vitally at the time when Laois held only a one point lead.
Portarlington’s Darragh Slevin started some brilliant turnovers from the back line, put good pressure on the Wexford attack and also attacked himself for Laois getting scores.
In attack, Cathal Lee from Clonaslee St.Manman’s had a fantastic game scoring 1-1 from play.
Whats Next: both Laois and Wicklow have already qualified for a quarter final place. Laois face Wicklow away on Tuesday April 9th and the winner of Wicklow vs Laois faces the runner up of Group 3 which will be whoever is defeated in the fixture of Meath vs Dublin in the quarter finals. Whoever is defeated of Wicklow vs Laois faces in the quarter finals the runner up in Group 1 which is currently either Kildare/Louth/Offaly (TBC).
Laois Minor Football
Leinster MFC Round 2 on April 3rd in Laois Hire O’Moore Park
Final score:
Laois: 0-10
Offaly: 2-8
Despite defeat to Offaly, Laois played well and were unfortunate with their missed chances.
The positives for Laois were the following standout performances:
Both midfielders of Robbie Murphy (St.Joseph’s) and Darren Brennan (Portlaoise) both displayed great strength in the middle of the pitch, winning the ball, breaking through tackles and moving the ball up the pitch nicely when they were in posession.
In the forwards, Ultan Dunne of O’Dempseys and Conor O’Callaghan of Portlaoise provided energy in the Laois attack to threaten the Offaly defense and were awarded with getting some lovely scores as a result their great build up play.
Photo credit: Crocky Maher
Photo credit: Crocky Maher
Photo credit: Crocky Maher
Photo credit: Crocky Maher
Whats next: Laois now do not advance in the Leinster Minor Championship as a result of the defeat to Offaly but they will compete next in the new for 2024: New All Ireland Minor Championship and in Tier 2 of this competition (if Laois finish 3rd in their group after the game against Longford) or Tier 3 in this competition (if Laois finish last in their group after the Longford game)
This Tier 2 / Tier 3 new All Ireland Minor Championship is for all provinces that do not progress out of their provincial championship groups. These teams play eachother in an 8 week period from mid May – July.
Laois U20 Hurling
LU20HC Round 2 in Laois Hire O Moore Park on April 6th
Final score:
Laois: 1-13
Kilkenny: 6-14
Despite defeat, all is not lost for our U20 Hurlers leinster championship campaign as a win over Wexford next weekend will see Laois through to the quarter finals. A defeat to Wexford will still not eliminate Laois from Leinster as they will qualify for a preliminary quarter-final.
Positives in the performance versus Kilkenny:
Eoghan Cuddy (Camross) was very solid in defense with good amounts of strength and movement to make successful tackles alongside scoring a monster of a point from play from 100 yards out taking advantage of when laois had the wind in the 1st half.
Ben Deegan (Camross) was brilliant on free taking duties, he stepped up with confidence to take a free each time Laois were awarded one and scored a total of 8 points from frees.
Cormac Byrne (Abbeyleix) scored an excellent goal from play, beat defenders well when he provided speed in the Laois attack
Photo credit: Oonagh Maher
Photo credit: Oonagh Maher
What’s next: Laois are away to Wexford on April 13th to determine the following knockout qualification outcome: the winner of Wexford vs Laois reaches the quarter finals and whoever is defeated of Wexford vs Laois is not eliminated from Leinster and still qualifies for a preliminary quarter-final.
Laois Minor Hurling:
Leinster MHC Round 2 in Laois Hire O’Moore Park on April 6th
Final score:
Laois: 4-8
Kerry: 1-12
The Laois minor hurlers bounced back from opening round defeat to Kildare in style as they had a great win over Kerry in Round 2. A win that vitally keeps their Leinster Championship Knockout stage qualification hopes still alive heading into Round 3 vs Carlow.
Standout performers: Castletown’s Daniel Whelan, originally listed to start in the no.15 position pre match was instead was reverted to a starting position in the Laois full back line (corner back) when the game began and in this corner back role, Daniel won a brilliant amount of the ball, made some excellence tackles and clearances in defense too.
Conor Mortimer (Camross) at full back no.3. Made an essential goal saving stop and ran out with the ball to clear from the Kerry attack. Vital point in the game and ultimately crucial to the 5 point win by Laois in the end.
Castletown’s Tom Og Phelan was exceptionally accurate from frees to keep Laois in the game and not let Kerry get too much of a stretch of a lead when Laois were behind. Tom Og’s great goal from play then gave Laois a swing momentum in the tie.
Then Kyron Cuddy (Castletown) his 2 goals from play sealed the all important victory for Laois.
Photo credit: Oonagh Maher
Photo credit: Oonagh Maher
Whats next: Laois are at home to Carlow in 3 weeks time on April 27th and the winner of this game will then progress to the preliminary quarter finals.
By Laois PRO Sun 7th Apr
