Offaly breeze past Laois

Offaly 2-23 Laois 1-15

Laois centre forward James Young grabbed 11 points in the O’Connor Park sunshine but Offaly, with goals from Brian Carroll and Brendan Murphy, avenged their league defeat to Paudie Butler’s men with a comfortable win in their Leinster SHC quarter final.

The Faithfuls are through to a June 13 semi final meeting with either Westmeath or Dublin.

It was all too easy as Michael McNamara’s side, relegated from NHL Division One, stepped up their championship challenge in the early stages, strolling into a 0-14 to 0-6 half time lead.

Their full forward line of Damien Murray, Joe Brady and Brian Carroll had all found their scoring range inside the first quarter-of-an-hour with tidy corner man Murray particularly prolific, accounting for seven points in the opening 35 minutes.

His second free on 11 minutes had the home side 0-03 to 0-01 and following late call-up Robert Jones’ only point, Offaly went ten points without a reply.

Carroll pointed twice in as many minutes, wing back Colm Cassidy lofted over two successive ‘65s and Murray’s shotgun shooting plundered him three quick points from the 18th to 21st minutes.

Carroll sent marker Michael McEvoy the wrong way for Offaly’s best and tenth point of the half soon after and a 27th win in 49 meetings looked assured.

Carroll and Murray accounted again for some poor defending before Young clipped over Laois' eventual third point from a free.

Barry Whelehan almost nipped in on the half hour for a goal but his 12-yard shot was parried away by Kevin Galvin’s brave lunge.

Murray claimed another point before Young’s brace and a Darren Rooney placed ball saw Laois eight behind at the break.

Young and Michael Cordial traded quick scores after the restart before Murray and Gary Hanniffy opened a ten-point lead for Offaly.

Niall Claffey’s long driven ball on 42 minutes was latched onto by Carroll and he turned sharply to find the net past Galvin for a 40th minute goal.

Murray hit his ninth point seconds later, but Butler’s men received a lifeline when Canice Coonan stretched to net another long ball through to keep the deficit at ten points.

With Simon Whelehan coming on for Brady with little over 20 minutes remaining, Laois managed to just about match their vaunted opponents in the closing stages, hitting seven points to 1-5.

A blocked lineball was crossed in by Hanniffy for Murphy to goal on 50 minutes, and a run of points from Murray, Cassidy (0-2), Murphy and Simon Whelehan stretched Offaly out to the winning total.

Laois, mindful of their solid league showing, closed out in style with Young running up his tally and Damien Culleton, Joe Fitzpatrick and David Cuddy all scoring in the closing minutes.

Former Offaly stalwart Michael Duignan, now a member of the backroom staff, said at the finish: “We did what we had to do in the end, and are pleased with the result. But we still have a lot of work to do and a big game to come, probably against Dublin. They beat us by 21 points in the league this spring so whoever we play from here on will be tough opposition.”