Laois minors hirlers cruise past Kerry in Leinster Championship Opener

The Laois minor hurlers have gotten their Leinster Minor Hurling Championship off to a winning start after they had seven points to spare over Kerry in Laois Hire O'Moore Park on Saturday afternoon.

Laois were at their ease for most of the game and could have won by a lot more, but they hit almost 20 wides, which will give them something to work on for their Round 3 game in two weeks. Laois ended up scoring 1-18 from play, albeit they did miss a lot of their frees.

Brendan Phelan's side wasted little time in getting off the mark as Rory Standish won the throw-in and played the ball to Callum Jones to score within 10 seconds. Kerry's first point came from a placed ball as Sean Ross split the posts. Laois hit the next four points as Tadhg Lowry, Bobby O'Connor, Cillian Hoey and Oisin Gilligan all scored as Laois had five points on the board from as many different scorers.

David Cullinan and Thomas Scanlon replied for Kerry before Laois got in for their goal. Bobby O'Connor went on a great run before firing the ball into the top corner of the Kerry net. Jones pointed his second of the contest as Laois led by six points with 17 minutes played. Kerry came roaring back and got within two points as Ross (free), Matthew O'Flaherty, Billy Moriarty and Ben O'Connor all raised white flags. That was as close as Kerry would get, as Jones and Lowry added to their tallies for Laois. The half ended with Ross (free) and O'Connor trading scores as Laois led 1-10 to 0-9 and had hit eight wides in the first half-hour.

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The second period was all Laois and they started the half with scores from Hynes, straight from the throw-in, and Lowry, after great play from Jack Rice and Gilligan. Ross was proving to be Kerry's only outlet down the other end as he added another free. Standish and Gilligan pushed Laois further ahead with 20 minutes to play in Portlaoise. Ross scored yet another free before Laois scored four points in a row from Gilligan (two, one free), O'Connor and Lowry. Kerry replied with three scores of their own from Ross (free and 65') and Moriarty. 

The game ended with Hoey and Ross trading scores as Laois coasted to a seven-point victory. They have a two-week break now as they progress straight into Round 3 and will face a winner from the losers' round.

FINAL SCORE

Laois 1-19

Kerry 0-15

SCORERS- Laois: Bobby O'Connor 1-3, Oisin Gilligan (0-1 free) and Tadhg Lowry 0-4 each, Callum Jones 0-3, Cillian Hoey and Luke Hynes 0-2 each, Rory Standish 0-1. Kerry: Sean Ross 0-9 (0-7 frees, 0-1 65'), Billy Moriarty 0-2, David Cullinan, Matthew O'Flaherty, Ben O'Connor and Thomas Scanlon 0-1 each.

LAOIS: Ryan Keeshan (Rathdowney-Errill); Conor Hickey (Borris-Kilcotton), Jack Rice (Mountrath), Darragh Keeshan (Borris-Kilcotton); Harry Donoghue (The Harps), Dan Bowe (Rathdowney-Errill), Oisin McRedmond (Portlaoise); Luke Hynes (Camross), Rory Standish (Rathdowney-Errill); Jamie Mahony (The Harps), Callum Jones (Borris-Kilcotton), Bobby O'Connor (Trumera); Oisin Gilligan (Ballyfin), Cillian Hoey (Portarlington), Tadhg Lowry (Camross). Subs: Dan Downey (Park-Ratheniska/Timahoe) for Mahony (HT), Killian James (St Paul's) for Standish (49 mins), Jerry O'Connell (Abbeyleix) for O'Connor (54 mins), Bobby McWey (Ballypickas) for Gilligan (61 mins)

KERRY: Ben Lynch; Gary Parker, Stephen Harty, Joseph Field; Billy Moriarty, Thomas Scanlon, Tadhg Diggins; Noel O'Sullivan, Shay Barrett; Ben O'Connor, Matthew O'Flaherty, Ryan Carey; David Cullinan, Sean Ross, Darren McElligott. Subs: Paddy Cronin for O'Connor and Alan O'Connor for McElligott (44 mins), Matt Cronin for O'Sullivan (53 mins)

Referee: Sean Maher (Offaly)