Reality check for Laois as clock beats Fermanagh

Laois 1-19 Fermanagh 2-15

Laois were expected to brush Fermanagh aside, but struggled for long spells. Some of that was down to their own poor play, more of it down to Fermanagh’s industry and the excellence of Sean Quigley, who finished with 2-8.

His penalty eight minutes from time set up the frantic finish as Fermanagh got within one, only to see Laois go three ahead before the Erne County got to within one again. They were still looking for an equaliser when David Coldrick’s whistle signalled the end of a heroic effort from Pete McGrath’s side.

McGrath was the embodiment of mixed emotions after the game. “In the end, time ran out on us. Fitness didn’t run out, heart didn’t run out, courage didn’t run out, it was the clock that beat us in the end,” he said.

“We will take enormous pleasure from the performance, pain from losing, but tremendous hope for the future.”

For Tomás Ó Flatharta, it was a Laois display that will leave him with plenty to work on. They kicked too many wides, as they did against Dublin, and conceded a worrying total once again. They had leaked 4-36 in their last two games, and at no stage did they look like containing Quigley.

If the loss to Dublin gave cause for optimism, this victory gave cause for concern. “I think it was the game we needed,” said Ó Flatharta. “There was always a danger people were building up the way we played against Dublin. There was always that danger there was going to be a bit of complacency. I think today we got the lesson that you can’t be complacent in this competition.”

Laois started brightly with a point from Donie Kingston inside a minute, with Quigley replying for Fermanagh soon after. The home side dominated possession early on, but their shooting was erratic, and by the eighth minute, they had hit four sides and dropped two balls into Chris Snow’s hands.

A Darren Strong 45 and fisted effort from David Conway put them two head, and even when Quigley got Fermanagh back within one, Laois kicked on, leading 0-5 to 0-2 after 22 minutes.

Fermanagh weren’t offering much up to that point, but slowly started to chip away at Laois, and had the game level at 0-6 apiece by the 28th minute.

Then, a speculative ball from the right wing by Tommy McElroy ricocheted around the Laois square, and Quigely was on hand to palm it over the line for the first goal of the game.

Laois responded well, hitting three points without reply before half-time to send the teams in level.

Fermanagh started the second half well, going two ahead thanks to the continued excellent of Quigley, but then Laois struck for their goal. Donie Kingston’s scuffed effort fell kindly for Billy Sheehan, and he was left with a simple finish.

It was that response to going behind that pleased Ó Flatharta so much. “Fermanagh went two points ahead in the second half but I think the lads showed a lot of character again. They fought and fought and kept driving forward. We got some good scores ourselves.”

Laois went on to open up a four point lead after that, only for Graham Brody to haul down Brian Cox eight minutes from time and concede a penalty. Quigley duly applied the finish, and that set the scene for a thrilling end to the game.

Laois pulled three ahead once more, with Kingston scoring the point of the game at the end of powerful run. Eamon Maguire and Niall Cassidy pointed to get Fermanagh back within one, but they could get no closer .

Scorers for Laois: D Kingston (0-6, 1f), R Munnelly (0-4, 2fs), D Strong (0-3, 2 45s), B Sheehan (1-0), C Meredith (0-2), P Begley, C Begley, D Conway, K Meaney (0-1 each).

Scorers for Fermanagh: S Quigley (2-8, 1-0 pen, 4fs), E Maguire (0-2), B Owens, R Corrigan, P McCusker, R Jones, N Cassidy (0-1 each).

LAOIS: G Brody; P McMahon, D Booth, P O’Leary; D Strong, P Begley, C Begley; C Meredith, J O’Loughlin; J Finn, B Sheehan, N Donoher; R Munnelly, D Kingston, D Conway.

Subs: K Meaney for Finn (29), S Attride for Conway (49), C Coss for O’Loughlin (53, inj), D O’Connor for Sheehan (70), E O’Carroll for Kingston (bc, 71).

FERMANAGH: C Snow; M O’Brien, B Mulrone, N Cassidy; D McCusker, R McCluskey, T McElroy; E Donnelly, R O’Callaghan; L Cullen, R Jones, P McCusker; R Corrigan, S Quigley, B Owens.

Subs: E Maguire for Cullen (35), M Murphy for P McCusker (53, inj), B Cox for Mulrone (59).

Referee: D Coldrick (Meath).