Dublin attack lethal, says Laois netminder Eoin Reilly

Eoin Reilly has faced both Waterford and Dublin this year and the Laois goalkeeper believes Ger Cunningham’s forwards will provide a stern and fascinating test for the Déise’s much-vaunted defensive abilities.

Reilly conceded seven goals in total to the two sides between the league meeting with Waterford last February and the All-Ireland qualifier against their Leinster rivals last month and he understandably awarded more weight to the more recent of those outings.

Laois were destroyed at the back that evening, particularly in a grim opening to the first-half, as Conal Keaney and Mark Schutte powered through a rearguard operating with a full-time sweeper to leave the home side on the back foot from early on.

“In the first half, they got three goals between them and caused serious hassle,” said Reilly at the annual M Donnelly Poc Fada launch in Croke Park. “We had to change our centre-back and full-back and change lads around and when you are doing that it’s panic stations.”

Waterford have come much closer than Laois to perfecting the defensive padlock with Tadhg de Burca at the heart of their operations, but Reilly is among those knowledgeable neutrals who have been quick to praise the county’s attacking prowess as well.

“Of the teams we have played this year, they probably are the best team to move the ball around. I have never seen a team as composed on a ball,” said Reilly after they hit 14-man Laois for 3-21. “I know it’s easy when they are a man up and at home and everything is going for them.

“But the way they kept the ball that night it was evident they were going somewhere this year.” As for Laois, it remains to be seen if their iconic manager Seamus ‘Cheddar’ Plunkett remains on board for 2016, but the Portlaoise custodian said he is more than hopeful that it will be a case of same again.