O’Dwyer’s title chances looking up as Laois get motoring in midfield

MICK O’DWYER’S chances of retaining the Leinster SFC title with Laois took a considerable turn for the better on Sunday with the outstanding performance of his new-look midfield against Wexford.

Last week, the Laois manager was hit with the news that his top midfielder Padraig Clancy would be out of action for at least eight weeks after undergoing surgery on his thumb. That was possibly the biggest blow for O’Dwyer as midfield was the chief area of concern.

Clancy’s form was reliably excellent but his partner Noel Garvan all too often blew hot and cold and their shortcomings as a team were exposed in the mid-summer games against Kildare and Armagh.