McGrath Cup

Avondhu 3-20

“In training, they’ll do anything you ask them to do. They’d go through a brick wall for you"

Valley Rovers 2-6 Avondhu 0-11: Hughie O’Donovan’s goal in the fifth minute of injury time seized victory for Valley Rovers in the first round of the county SFC at Watergrasshill last night.

Fermoy 1-9  Cill na Martra 0-10: Goalkeeper Liam Coleman expertly converted three crucial second-half frees as Fermoy came from behind to defeat Cill na Martra in the first round of the Cork IFC on Saturday night in Ballincollig.

Mutual consent.

Laois 3-17 Clare 0-10

ALL-IRELAND SFC ROUND 1:

Laois 3-13 Carlow 0-12

Waterford veteran Tony Browne is hopeful of playing his first county hurling of the year in Saturday’s All-Ireland SHC qualifier clash with Westmeath in Cusack Park (5pm).

Former AFL player Conor Meredith has been handed his first Senior Championship start by Laois manager Justin McNulty.

Donie Kingston will start for Laois in Sunday's Leinster SFC first round match against Louth at O'Moore Park (throw-in 3pm).

Former Antrim player James Loughrey is a new addition to the Cork bench for Sunday’s Division 1 clash with Mayo after completing a transfer to Mallow from St Brigid’s.

Westmeath 1-10 Laois 1-8

Laois 1-17 Louth 2-14

Derry 1-17 Laois 2-11

Derry 1-17 Laois 2-11

Laois 0-20 Armagh 1-10

Laois 0-20 Armagh 1-10

Laois 2-12 Westmeath 0-12

Dublin made it two wins out of two in the Bord na Mona O’Byrne Cup tonight as they saw off the challenge of DCU at Parnell Park.

Dublin 1-12 Laois 0-12

1. Big statement from the eventual winner

The giddy reaction in the capital when Dublin’s name was paired with that of Laois last weekend was only heightened with the realisation Pat Gilroy’s side will face Mayo or Down in the semi-final should they do their jobs this evening.

Laois manager Justin McNulty has given a vote of confidence to his players by naming an unchanged team for Saturday's showdown with reigning All-Ireland champions Dublin.

It was obvious that Darragh Ó Sé seemed slightly amused by the euphoria which followed Kerry’s victory over Tyrone in Killarney.

The lasting memory of this game, and indeed Seamus McEnaney’s reign as Meath manager, will be the sight of the Corduff man scampering across the pitch to inform his players there were three minutes of additional time.

Laois head to Croke Park next weekend for their clash with Dublin full of confidence and with a real pep in their step – I was going to say “momentum” – but it has now officially become the most overused word in the GAA lexicon during the qualifiers.

Laois 1-15 Meath 1-12

Laois manager Justin McNulty has selected an unchanged team to face Leitrim in Saturday's All-Ireland SFC third round qualifier at Carrick-on-Shannon (throw-in 7pm).

Laois manager Justin McNulty hailed what he felt was his team’s best performance over the last two years, as they dumped Monaghan out of the All-Ireland championship with a six point win in O’Moore Park yesterday.

Laois 1-10 Carlow 0-9

Glenn Ryan hailed his side’s mental fortitude in making such an important breakthrough by winning their first Leinster championship game since 2007.

Longford 1-10 Laois 0-12

Laois 0-10 Down 2-11, Portlaoise

Cork may have been disappointed when stripped of home advantage for this tie but their trip to the midlands proved a perfect tonic for a side that shed points on its two previous away jaunts.

MAYBE there was a direct correlation between a lifeless Donegal performance that saw them fall to a second loss in Division One on the same weekend Kevin Cassidy announced his retirement from inter-county football.

Allianz Football League Division 2: Donegal 2-6 Laois 2-9

James Horan is targeting a prolonged run in the league to keep his Mayo charges sharp as they make a belated start to their championship campaign.

Mayo 1-11 Laois 0-8

ST CATHERINE’S cruised into the Cork IHC semi-finals last night after seeing off a strong challenge from Kanturk at Castletownroche.

ANOTHER second-half blitz, another qualifier victory for Kildare. The one team that learns the most from losing seemed to brush away all their cares about Dublin and last-gasp frees with a scintillating performance in Portlaoise.

Laois 2-16 Tipperary 0-11

Former Laois footballer Joe Higgins believes that his former county colleagues Padraig Clancy and Gary Kavanagh still have a huge amount to offer the current Laois set-up.

The Laois team to take on Tipperary in Saturday's All-Ireland SFC first round qualifier in Portlaoise (throw-in 7pm) has been named.

Dublin 1-16 Laois 0-11

Laois will field an unchanged team in Sunday afternoon's Leinster SFC quarter-final against Dublin at Croke Park (throw-in 4pm).