Laois power past Kildare in penultimate Joe McDonagh cup game

Joe McDonagh Cup

Laois 1-23

Kildare 0-11

Kildare went into this Joe McDonagh clash looking re-discover the form showed earlier in 2023 but Laois settled the quicker of the sides into this clash. The home side brought more intensity early doors and were rewarded the opening three points.

Stephen ‘Picky’ Maher slotted over three points from placed balls, as the rain began to pour down in Portlaoise which made it tricky for both sides.

Kildare grabbed their first score of the afternoon through full-forward Cian Boran. The Kildare man caught a long ball in well and Boran quickly split the posts.

The match was tough to watch for a while after that, as the rain continued to come down. Both Laois and Kildare were guilty of spurring plenty of chances and making silly errors in possession.

It took until the eighteenth minute for the next score to arrive. It did go the way of the home team though, as Stephen Maher struck over a free following a serious bursting drive from Laois full-back Fiachra C Fennell.

Kildare responded through a David Qualtar free to cut the deficit to two points but Laois began to find their groove in the last minutes before half-time.

Stephen Maher placed over another free before Willie Maher's men grabbed their first score from play. The hard work of Tomas Keyes and Patrick Purcell paid off as midfielder Ross King raised a white flag.

Fiachra C Fennell’s runs from full-back were a point of note in the first half, as he found Stephen Maher for another easy point.

While David Qualter replied for Kildare from a free, Laois hit back with another 1-3 before the break.

Stephen Maher landed another free before his fellow clubmate and namesake, Stephen Bergin, also registered a point from an acute angle.

Then the sole goal of the first half arrived. Aidan Corby came flying through the heart of the Kildare rearguard and found Tomas Keyes inside who finished low and hard.

Tomas Keyes' confidence was up now. The Camross clubman turned his marker sharply in the next play and curled a lovely point between the uprights.

Kildare grabbed the final score of the first half through Rian Boran but they trailed 0-4 to 1-10 at half-time in O'Moore Park.

The away side looked to cut into that nine-point deficit early in the second half, as Declan Flaherty got them up and running with the opening point.

While Ross King replied for Laois, Kildare grabbed the next two points to leave just seven points between the teams.

David Qualter (free) and Cian Boran raised white flags for the Lilywhites.However, despite a slow start to the second half, Laois grew into the half just like they did in the first.

Stephen Maher knocked over another free and then Ross King drilled over his third point of the afternoon. Laois continued to stretch their lead thanks to further points from Stephen Bergin and Stephen Maher (free). 

While Kildare got back on the scoresheet through substitute Killian Harrington, Laois landed the next two points. Ross King was brilliant in the second half for the winners, as the midfielder split the posts two more times from play.

Laois finished the second half strongly to perhaps make the final score look more convincing than the match really was.

David Qualter popped over a free for Kildare but it was all Laois in the last quarter. Jack Kelly, Martin Phelan (two), Stephen Maher and substitute James Duggan all raised white flags for the men wearing blue and white. 

Kildare managed to tag on two more points in added time, both through David Qualter, but James Duggan would bag the final score of the match.

Speaking after the game, Kildare manager David Herity said, “The lads put in an incredible effort, like they have all year, but their (Laois) game management was excellent.

“Some of our efficiency in the first half really let us down and that was the killer.”

Scorers: Laois, Stephen Maher 0-10 (0-8 frees, 0-1 65'), Ross King 0-5, Tomas Keyes 1-1, Stephen Bergin, Martin Phelan and James Duggan 0-2 each, Jack Kelly 0-1Scorers: Stephen Maher 0-10 (0-8 frees, 0-1 65'), Ross King 0-5, Tomas Keyes 1-1, Stephen Bergin, Martin Phelan and James Duggan 0-2 each, Jack Kelly 0-1.

Kildare, David Qualter 0-6 (0-5 frees), Cian Boran 0-3, Killian Harrington and Declan Flaherty 0-1.

LAOIS: Enda Rowland; Donnchadh Hartnett, Fiachra C Fennell, Ian Shanahan; Ryan Mullaney, Padraig Delaney, Jack Kelly; Aidan Corby, Ross King; Paddy Purcell, Stephen Maher, James Keyes; Tomas Keyes, Martin Phelan, Stephen Bergin. Subs: John Lennon for James Keyes (56 mins), James Duggan for Stephen Bergin (56 mins), Gearoid Lynch for Ryan Mullaney (56 mins), Pauric Dunne for Delaney (60 mins), Liam Senior for King (66 mins)

KILDARE: Paddy McKenna; Neil O’Muineachain, Simon Lacey, Cormac Byrne; Alan Goss, Rian Boran, Drew Costello; Sean Christanseen, Paul Dolan; Declan Flaherty, Johnny Byrne, Mark Delaney; Brian Byrne, Cian Boran, David Qualter. Subs: Killian Harrington for Flaherty (38 mins), Richie Hogan for Leacy (52 mins), Frank Bass for Boran (56 mins), Micheal Hogan for Christianseen (63 mins), Sean Whelan for Delaney (68 mins), Harry Carroll for Costello (69 mins).

Referee: Pat Murphy (Carlow)

Game at a Glance

MAIN MAN

Stephen Maher

The Laois set-piece taker was incredibly reliable on the day and there are few roles more important in modern hurling. Maher's scores keot the Laois score ticking and Kildare at bay.

TURNING POINT

Tomas Keyes' goal before half-time was sure to dent Kildare's confidence and it did. The Lilywhites failed mount a comeback trailing 1-10 to 0-4 at half-time and Keyes goal only further solidified Laois position.

TALKING POINT

Can Kildare turn this around to stay up? It was always going be difficult making the jump after promotion last year but it has been a far from ideal Joe McDonagh campaign nonetheless for Kildare in this year's Championship.

WHAT NOW?

Kildare now look ahead to their final round clash next week against Down as both sides look maintain their Joe McDonagh status for next year. Staying at this level of hurling will undoubtedly be vital to the plans of David Herity's men moving forward.