Joe McDonagh Cup wake-up call for Tommy Fitzgerald’s Laois hurlers

Laois manager Tommy Fitzgerald was disappointed following his side’s first loss in the Joe McDonagh Cup after a shock result against Kildare on Sunday afternoon.

Kildare defied the odds and have taken a second skelp in the competition, having beaten Carlow also, thus almost guaranteeing themselves a place in the final.

“It was very disappointing,” Fitzgerald said after the game. “They out-hurled us, outfought us and outsmarted us, that’s my initial reaction.”

The Laois manager expanded further on his thoughts, saying, “They’re a good side, I saw them last Saturday when they beat Carlow. They’re well conditioned, very physical and very well coached. We struggled for large periods today to get our game going and to impose our game on them so it’s a credit to them, but we’ll have to look into our own performance heading into next Saturday.”

Kildare provided a huge physical battle to Laois and were the first side to really test Fitzgerald’s men, which he reckoned may have been their downfall.

“They probably didn’t let us hurl, maybe we were a little bit off it I’m not sure but we’ll look back on it and I’ll speak to the lads inside,” he said.

“Maybe the last three games we hadn’t been in a battle and it’s been comfortable the last three games and you don’t know how you’re going to respond until a team fronts up and comes at you hard and that’s what they did today.”

When asked if a sense of complacency may have formed amongst his group after the opening three games he said, “You try and guard against that, there’s a lot of loose talk out there about Laois being ahead of other teams and I’ve no idea where that’s coming from as anyone that was in Carlow last week would have seen that.

“Maybe subconsciously that can feed in, I’m not quite sure, but it certainly wasn’t from within the camp and you have to consider the last three teams we played were a good bit off the top three.”

Sunday’s loss means that Fitzgerald and his men will travel to Carlow on Saturday, needing a victory if they are to qualify for the Joe McDonagh Cup final on Sunday, June 8.

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“It’s win or bust next week and it’s all on the line next Saturday for us and Carlow,” said the Laois boss.

“We know the quality that they have and it’s not going to be simple next Saturday but it’s definitely within our capabilities to go down there and win. Possibly we had it a bit too easy the last three days and maybe in hindsight that didn’t help us, but it’s never usually straight forward in the Joe McDonagh. Ourselves, Carlow and Kildare all have to win next week to get into a final and that’s just the way it is.”

Fitzgerald finished by praising the support provided from the stands and he hopes a big crowd will travel behind them on Saturday.

“We’ve gotten good support so far and we have to give them something to cheer about as well and we’ll be looking for a massive reaction in the performance next Saturday and hopefully there’s a big Laois crowd there to help us over the line.”