Congrats MBB.
Laois are through to play Dublin in the semi-finals :huh: of the Leinster Hurling Championship after a 1-13 to 0-10 win over Carlow in Portlaoise.
Laois got their Leinster campaign off to a winning start with a strong second-half display at O’Moore Park.
Carlow led by 0-07 to 0-06 at the break, but a 1-03 salvo from Joe Fitzpatrick pointed the O’Moore men towards the winning line, and Carlow’s first appearance in the senior championship in four years ended in a gallant defeat.
Craig Doyle’s early contributions were packed full of false promise. Carlow’s gifted wing-forward floated over a couple of gems from far out on the left wing, and while his array of skills and deft touches reappeared sporadically, elsewhere, the quality was of a more basic nature.
But the Barrow boys displayed a willingness to put in the hard work that would see them lead right through the opening half.
Matthew Whelan’s '65 and a well-executed Tommy Fitzgerald effort had the sides level by the eighth minute, before James Walsh and Denis Murphy, from a free, restored Carlow’s two-point cushion.
Murphy’s accuracy from frees kept Carlow’s noses in front, and while Eoin Reilly’s booming puck-outs set up a series of attacks, the Laois front men repeatedly found themselves muscled out of it by Eoin Nolan, John Rogers and Alan Corcoran.
It was 0-07 to 0-04 as stoppage time in the first half approached, but just a point separated the sides at the break after centre-back Whelan landed another '65 and a 70-metre free.
Fitzpatrick seized the game by the scruff of the neck immediately after the restart, powering his side forward with his forceful style. He blasted home the game’s only goal in the 40th minute, and drilled over a couple of glorious points.
Within eight minutes, the home side had built up a 1-10 to 0-07 lead, but Carlow never stopped believing, and battled right to the end.
Both sides missed penalties: Willie Hyland was denied by Carlow corner-back Des Shaw, then the Carlow goalkeeper sent his effort smashing against the crossbar.
Carlow sub Paudie Kehoe pulled back a couple of points from frees, but Eoin Costelloe ended a long barren period for Laois, and the inspirational Fitzpatrick sealed victory with two superb points in the closing stages.
Laois finished with 14 men after Costelloe was sent off in the dying moments.
Laois: E Reilly, J Delaney, C Healy, D Maher, B Campion, M Whelan 0-4, 2’65, 2f), J Fitzpatrick (1-3), M McEvoy, J Walsh (0-1), C Delaney, W Hyland, Z Keenan, E Costelloe (0-1), T Fitzgerald (0-3), J Brophy (0-1).
Subs: J Purcell for Keenan (50), J Keenan for Delaney, S Dollard for Walsh (70), C Dunne for Purcell (70)
Carlow: F Foley, J Rogers, D Shaw, A Cocoran, E Coady, J Hickey, E Nolan, D Byrne (0-1), M Brennan, D Roberts, S Kavanagh, C Doyle (0-3), A Gaule, E Byrne, D Murphy (0-4, 3F 1 '65).
Subs: R Coady for Brennan (blood, 22-24), R Foley for Byrne (47) R Coady for Kavanagh (47), H O’Byrne for Shaw (57), P Kehoe (0-2, 2F) for Murphy (57), B Lawlor for Roberts (65)
