Limerick aces trump weak Laois

Limerick 2-13 Laois 1-5

Mon, 02 Feb, 2004 - 00:00

Limerick were competing in the higher grade for the first time and they held all the aces to get their campaign off to the perfect start.

Team coach Liam Kearns played down the victory, but was pleased with his side’s application. And considering he was short five first-team players through injury, Limerick can look forward with confidence.

Maurice Horan’s decision to play with Limerick this season could well be the piece to complete the jigsaw for Kearns.

Operating at top of the right, the former Mayo player oozed class and contributed four excellent points from play.

Limerick laid the foundation in defence where stand-in full-back Johnny McCarthy had an excellent outing. The ability of team captain Tommy Stack, Damien Reidy and Stephen Lucey to get in front of their opponents ensured the Laois forwards posed little or no threat.

Jason Stokes and Tommy Carroll ensured the home side won the midfield exchanges, but to be fair to Pauric Clancy he battled hard against the odds.

Stephen Kelly was sparkling form, using his pace and ball control to torment the Laois defence and when a player of Joe Higgins’ calibre could not handle the Newcastle West man, the Leinster champions were in trouble. Eoin Keating was another newcomer to make a big impression for Limerick and when all the injuries clear, earns could have an embarrassment of riches.

However, the victory has to be put in context. Laois were just back from a fortnight’s holiday in South Africa, and according to Mick O’Dwyer, are weeks behind in their training.

On a day when Laois were made to look decidedly poor, only Tom Kelly, Pauric Clancy, Martin Delaney and Brian McDonald measured up.

Laois won the toss and played with the very strong wind.

Limerick opted to play with only two in the full forward line as Johnny Murphy moved out to make a third midfielder and it worked well for them.

Chris Conway opened Laois’s account with a point from a 45. However, Limerick’s superb defensive play resulted in Laois having to wait 18 minutes for their second score, a Darren Rooney point. The home side finally got on the scoreboard with a point from Muiris Gavin after 26 minutes.

Laois moved Joe Higgins out on Stephen Kelly to no avail and after Maurice Horan grabbed his first point to level the game for the only time, Limerick grew in the ascendancy.

A great run by Stephen Lucey set up Kelly for a goal which he took in style, and when Damien Reidy added a point, there was only going to be one outcome as Limerick went in at the break full value for their 1-3 to 0-2 lead. Backed by the strong wind Limerick were expected to have matters all their own way but by the end of the third quarter the home side were just three point to the good after Brian McDonald set up Martin Delaney for a goal which went in off a defender. However, Limerick’s greater fitness was a telling factor and with Kelly, Keating and Horan continuing to score at will, the Shannonsiders opened up an eight-point lead with five minutes remaining. To crown a day best forgotten by Laois, Fergal Byron failed to hold Muiris Gavin’s delivery and Mark Keane was on hand to fist home a goal.

Scorers for Limerick: S. Kelly 1-2; M. Horan 0-4;M. Keane 1-0; E. Keating, J.

Stokes 0-2 each; M. Gavin (free), D. Reidy, C. Mullane 0-1 each.

Laois: M.

Delaney 1-0; C. Conway 0-2 (0-1 free, 0-1 45); D. Rooney, M. Lawlor, T.

Kelly 0-1 each.

LIMERICK: S. O’Donnell; M. O’Riordan, J. McCarthy, T. Stack; P. Browne, S.

Lucey, D. Reidy; J. Stokes, T. Carroll; S. Kelly, M. Gavin, C. Mullane; M.

Horan, J. Murphy, E. Keating. Subs. M. Keane for Murphy; J. Quane for

Carroll; M. O’Brien for Horan; P. Aherne for Stack.

LAOIS: F. Byron; P. McDonnell, C. Byrne, J. Higgins; D. Rooney, T. Kelly, K.

Fitzpatrick; P. Claney, N. Garvan; C. Parkinson, M. Delaney, C. Conway; I.

Fitzgerald, M. Lawlor, N. McDonald. Subs. P. Conway for Fitzpatrick; R.