Conway says Laois can be force again

Laois forward Dave Conway believes the county still possesses the quality and quantity of player required to repeat their pomp of a decade ago when they were Dublin’s biggest provincial rivals.

They made the breakthrough at senior level in 2003, claiming a first Leinster title at that grade in 57 years and beating Dublin in the semi-final in the process.

Three subsequent finals delivered only disappointment, however, with Dublin their nemesis in two, and the stream of underage titles – including three All-Ireland minors in six years — that fed that era has since dried up.

“I am 27 and can see the young and enthusiastic lads coming in. We believe that the footballers are there to have a go at it this year and into the future.”

None of which is to say that they don’t realise the enormity of the task facing them in this weekend’s provincial quarter-final.

First up losses to Longford and Louth in recent years were exorcised somewhat with that first-round defeat of Wicklow in Aughrim last month. Still, it’s hard to gauge exactly where they are at. Under Justin McNulty, they ran Dublin close in that last eight tie two years ago and proved sticky opposition for Donegal in a qualifier in Carrick-on-Shannon.

“Hindsight can be a great thing,” said Conway. “We played Donegal early in the season this year [in Division 2] and they had a good cut at it, but we were only getting used to the new format and the new play.

Under Tomás Ó Flatharta, the reins have been loosened a tad. The onus when attacking now is to do so at more pace but there was still a pedestrian look to events at Aughrim that don’t bode well.

Dublin are the fastest team in the country and Croke Park the fastest pitch. It is the assignment no team wants.

“We have worked since the start of the year on the performance targets we have to meet individually and as a team and if we take care of them as best we can then the result comes out of that.”