Laois boss McNulty accepts the brickbats

COLM PARKINSON at least gave Justin McNulty some levity in what was an otherwise earnest situation.

Following Laois’ heavy defeat, the 2003 Leinster medallist, who was on the panel earlier in the season, tweeted: “Laois were a disgrace..Mcnulty has to go....only a league manager, won’t pick Portlaoise lads....enough said.”

After speaking honestly and openly about how poor Laois were in the second-half, McNulty’s reaction to the news of Parkinson’s outburst was a hearty laugh.

Throwing his head back, McNulty laughed: “Count the number of Portlaoise players out there today and that answers the question.”

There were three Portlaoise players — Cahir Healy, who had to come off early with an injury, and used substitutes Conor Boyle and Kieran Lillis. Whatever about the question marks over the strength of McNulty’s retort, to call for his head seems the sore warbling of a frustrated footballer.

As much as Saturday was a low moment for McNulty and Laois, the man has surely guaranteed himself another year at the helm after gaining promotion to Division 1 next season.

But he has plenty of work to do. Laois were blunted going forward against Kildare and if 2011 was about building from the back 2012 should be about creating from the front.

“The lads are completely devastated because of the nature of the performance,” admitted McNulty. “Kildare completely outplayed us in the second half, technically and tactically. They outclassed us in every area of performance. The manner of defeat was incredible.

“We expected them to bring a big game in the second half but we expected a big game ourselves. But they completely blitzed us and you have to give them huge credit.”

The reasons for the nature of the defeat? McNulty will give more after watching the game again but he could think of a couple immediately following that second-half onslaught.

“We had a couple of key injuries to big players for us and they got a run on us in the second-half and probably we should have stopped their play and killed momentum and the lead that they did get.

“They looked sharper and quicker than us in many ways.”

After a decent first half to his debut season as manager, McNulty is left with much to ponder.

“We’ve been promoted out of a pretty difficult Division 2 and we’re in the top flight next year so we can measure ourselves against the top opposition week-in, week-out next year.

“In terms of our championship performances, they’re certainly a long way from what we would expect of ourselves and it’s something I have to go back and review why this happened and why did this team not do itself justice.”

About Laois’ paucity of attacks in the second-half, McNulty reckoned they had as much to do with the excellence of Kildare’s defence as his own team’s deficiencies.

“Kildare worked the blanket defensive system to a treat. They played it so effectively. Tactically, we were totally outgunned and outclassed.”