Laois register first win
Laois 1-15 Kildare 0-8, O'Moore Park, Portlaoise
Laois registered their first win of the current Allianz NHL Division 2 under floodlights at O'Moore Park in Portlaoise tonight.
In ideal conditions, Niall Rigney's charges found it tough in the opening half, but held Kildare to just one point in the closing 35 minutes as the visitors struggled following the dismissal of David Ryan just before half-time.
Laois led by 1-6 to 0-7 at the break, but Kildare had a 70% conversion rate at this stage, in contrast to the hosts who amassed eight wides by the interval.
Scores from David Harney, Billy White and Richie Hoban gave Kildare an early 0-3 to 0-1 lead as Laois found it hard to settle.
Tommy Fitzgerald's 13th-minute goal sprung Laois into life. Willie Hyland laid off a pass to Fitzgerald who blasted to the net from close range to tie the contest at 1-2 to 0-5.
Kildare continued to cause Laois huge problems up front, while at the opposite end Laois struggled as they amassed six wides by the 26th minute.
Laois upped the ante during the remainder of the first half, with Hyland adding two further points and captain Brian Campion was also on target.
A straight red card for full-back Ryan, following a challenge on Eoin Costello, did little to help Kildare's cause and Laois went on to dominate the second period.
They outscored their opponents by nine points to one as substitutes Neil Foyle and Jimmy Dunne added their names to the scoresheet and Rigney's men cantered home.
LAOIS: E Reilly; J A Delaney, D Maher, C Dunne; B Stapleton, B Campion (0-1, 0-1f), M McEvoy; E Jackman, B Dunne; C Healy, S Dollard, W Hyland (0-6, 0-3f); E Costello (0-4), T Fitzgerald (1-1), J Purcell.
Subs used: N Foyle (0-2, 0-2f) for Purcell (24 mins), O Holohan for B Dunne (50), J Dunne (0-1) for Jackman (55).
KILDARE: P Dermody; D Byrne, D Ryan, P Reidy; B White (0-5, 0-4f), R Hoban (0-1, 0-1f), N O'Muineachain; M Divilly, P Buggy; T Murphy (0-1), D Kennedy, D Harney (0-1); P Moloney, P Keegan, M Fitzgerald.
Subs used: J Houlihan for Murphy (58 mins), B Ahern for O'Muineachain (65), E O'Neill for White (70).
Referee: Declan O'Driscoll (Limerick)
