Win for short-handed Limerick
Slow to start, they managed a steady improvement after Ollie Moran scored the first of two goals late in the first half. Once they opened up a big lead, the result was a foregone conclusion.
Manager David Keane expressed himself pleased with the performance, pointing out that they had been "missing a lot" including their three dual players and four more injured or otherwise unavailable.
"There wasn't much of a bit in it, but at the same time it was nice to get a win," he commented.
"There will be a lot of players pushing for places and the thing we want to get across to the older lads is that we want them to come and do their best. We have the team to do it."
Laois made the early running and Limerick had to struggle. After conceding a goal to Canice Coonan in the fourth minute, they struggled to make openings, with Mark Keane failing to score from a 13th minute penalty. The home side controlled the play until Limerick showed a crucial improvement in attack.
Shortly after moving to full-forward, Ollie Moran grabbed an opportunist goal with a powerful shot off the ground. Three minutes later, team captain Mark Foley had them level, before Ollie's brother James gave Limerick the lead for the first time. They maintained this advantage all the way to the break, with Laois going 12 minutes without a score until James Young put over a seventy.
Ollie Moran had a second goal six minutes into the second half, and with a better return from attack, Limerick worked up to a nine-point advantage. This saw them through, despite Laois goals from Liam Tynan and James Young near the end.
Scorers: Limerick O. Moran 2-4; B. Foley 0-6 (0-4 frees); D. Sheehan, M. Foley (0-1 seventy, 0-1 free) and J. Moran 0-2 each; M. Keane 0-1 free.
Laois: J. Young 1-4 (1-1 frees, 0-1 seventy); L. Tynan 1-1; C. Coonan 1-0; B. McCormack, E. Maher, F. O'Sullivan, D. Rooney and M. McEvoy 0-1 each.
LIMERICK: T. Houlihan; D. Reale, T.J. Ryan, E. Mulcahy; P. O'Dwyer, C. Carey, M. Foley (capt.); P. Lawlor, C. Smith; J. Moran, O. Moran, B. Foley; M. Keane, N. Moran, D. Sheehan.
Subs: J. O'Brien for Keane (29th minute); J. Meskell for Lawlor and M. O'Brien for J. Moran (66th); J. McEvoy for Maher (68th).
LAOIS: J. Lyons; L. Mahon, Patrick Cuddy, T. Phelan; C. Cuddy, Paul Cuddy (capt.), M. McEvoy; J. Young, D. Rooney; B. McCormack, E. Maher, N. Daly; F. O'Sullivan, L. Tynan, C. Coonan.
Subs: P. Mahon for C. Cuddy (25th minute); T. Fitzgerald for Daly (43rd); M. Rooney for McCormack and L. Wynne for Coonan (54th).
Referee: D. Kirwan (Cork).
