Laois cruise into SFC second round with 10-point margin over Carlow

Laois 3-13 Carlow 0-12

A hat-trick of goals proved key as Laois claimed a 10-point win over neighbours Carlow, before 4,606 spectators in the first ever Friday night Championship game at Dr. Cullen Park, Carlow this evening.

A 32nd minute Padraig McMahon goal spurred Laois to life after a sluggish start by Justin McNulty's charges which saw them trail by five points after 31 minutes, but cut the gap to the minimum at the interval.

Laois kicked on in the second half firing 1-3 without reply inside five minutes of the restart, including a David Conway goal, with substitute Colm Kelly completing the hat-trick in the 56th minute as the visitors held out to book a place in Monday morning's Round 2 All-Ireland SFC Qualifier draw.

Six weeks after Carlow slumped to an 11-point defeat to Westmeath at Cusack Park, Anthony Rainbow's charges were up against it, seeking a first All-Ireland qualifier victory since 2005.

Rainbow stuck with the same 15 announced midweek, while McNulty also stuck with the match programme line-up, with former Aussie Rules player Conor Meredith handed his first Championship start.

Carlow showed signs of pulling off a shock in the opening stages, as they raced to a 0-4 to 0-0 lead after just five minutes.

The decision to play Jack Kennedy as a roving player in the forward lines, with Brian and Brendan Murphy left inside certainly paying off, with the St. Patrick's clubman firing two excellent points from play inside the opening two and a half minutes.

Scores from Brian Murphy and Darragh Foley doubled Carlow's advantage soon after, with the hosts having a firm foothold in the middle at this stage.

Gradually Laois upped their game in the midfield sector, with veteran player Padraig Clancy and captain John O'Loughlin taking control.

Laois breaking their scoring dead-lock in the ninth minute, with the first of two first half pointed frees from the boot of Ross Munnelly.

A brace of Brendan Murphy points propelled Carlow to a 0-6 to 0-1 lead after 16 minutes, but Laois slowly came into contention.

Carlow were held scoreless over a 14-minute spell, as Laois responded with a pointed free from Donal Kingston, and a well placed point from Darren Strong.

Half-back Strong latching on to the end of a Billy Sheehan pass to cut the gap at 0-6 to 0-3 with 10 minutes remaining in the half.

Laois were hungry for scores, but struggled in front of the posts. Kingston handed a goal-scoring chance in the 29th minute, but the Arles/Killeen attacker blazed wide of the posts, for Laois's seventh wide.

Brendan Murphy broke Carlow's scoring dead-lock with his third point, and when Foley added his second score soon-after it handed the Division 4 side a 0-8 to 0-3 lead.

But Carlow were rocked by McMahon's 32nd minute goal, and the hosts wouldn't score again until six minutes after the restart, by which Laois had moved five points in front.

The gap between Division 2 and Division 4 certainly showed in the second half, as Carlow became sluggish and Laois kicked on for scores.

The visitors certainly fired up following their half-time team-talk, and firing 1-3 without reply in the opening five minutes of the half.

Conway claiming Laois's second goal, after a high-ball inside from Meredith, with the Arles/Kilcruise turning on the 21 metre line, and slotting the ball past Trevor O'Reilly in the Carlow goals.

Laois were unlucky not to complete a hat-trick in the 49th minute when Meredith was through on goals, but the O'Dempsey's clubman blazed wide of the target.

Scores were at a premium at this stage, with both sides squandering chances. Laois sniffing out any chances that Carlow created, but upfront the O'Moore's forwards were far from sharp.

Meredith, O'Loughlin and substitute Colm Kelly sending efforts wide of the target between the 49th and 55th minutes.

But Laois made firm amends when 48th minute substitute Kelly pounced for the O'Moore's third goal just 90 seconds after his introduction.

The Stradbally clubman linking well with Munnelly, before sending the ball to the net to hand Laois a nine-point lead.

Carlow kept in touch thanks to points from Brian and John Murphy, but Laois fired a trio of unanswered points with O'Loughlin, Conway and Kelly on target.

Laois came under pressure in the closing minutes as Carlow searched hard for scores, but the O'Moore's failed to yield as they booked a place in the Round 2 All-Ireland Qualifier draw.

LAOIS: E Culliton; M Timmons, P O'Leary, P Begley; D Strong (0-2), K Lillis (0-1), P McMahon (1-0); J O'Loughlin (0-1), P Clancy (0-1); B Sheehan, C Meredith, C Begley; R Munnelly (0-3, 2f), D Kingston (0-3, 3f), D Conway (1-1). Subs: C Kelly (1-1) for Kingston (49); D Booth for P Begley (53); C Boyle for Clancy (59); N Donoher for Lillis (65); S Attride for Strong (65).

CARLOW: T O'Reilly; BJ Molloy, C Lawler, B Kavanagh; K Nolan, S Redmond, T Bolger; J Murphy (0-1), D Foley (0-2, 1f); P Reid, E Ruth, S Gannon; Brian Murphy (0-3, 3f), J Kennedy (0-3), Brendan Murphy (0-3). Subs: W Minichin for Foley (46); M Doyle for Nolan (46); C Moran for Reid (58); S Mernagh for Redmond (65); C Murphy for Gannon (65).

REFEREE: Fergal Kelly (Longford)