Laois should advance at expense of Carlow

LAOIS should have little difficulty seeing off the challenge of Carlow in their Leinster SHC clash in Portlaoise this Saturday.

But O'Moore manager Paídí Butler is refusing to delve too deeply into such thoughts. After all, Carlow created something of a minor shock last weekend in defeating Michael Duignan's Meath in Navan, a side which had extinguished Laois's championship hopes last summer.

However, Laois under Butler is a completely different proposition to last year's model as results in Division One of the league have already shown. But even at that, Butler is playing it safe.