Laois firepower brings Kerry back to earth in Joe McDonagh Cup
Action from the the Joe McDonagh Cup clash between Kerry and Laois in Tralee.
Laois made it three wins from three in the Joe McDonagh Cup as they brought unbeaten Kerry crashing down to earth. The game was played in ideal conditions at the Austin Stack Park. Laois laid down yet another marker in their bid to return to Tier 1 hurling for the first time since 2022 with a comfortable ten-point victory following wins over Offaly and Meath.
Kerry were always in the contest until the second half but never really looked like winning as classy Laois took control inside the opening minutes and never let go from there.
Laois served notice that they meant business as wing-back Liam O’Connell opened the scoring inside 30 seconds, but Kerry levelled thanks to a long-range Fionan Mackessy free.
Luke Crowley, playing his fifth game in a fortnight, was lively early on for the hosts, whose inside line found the going tough against an extremely solid Laois full-back line.
The half’s crucial score arrived as early as the seventh minute when a Ronan Walsh pass was intercepted by the excellent Paddy Purcell, who found Mossy Keyes in space, and he drilled the ball low to the Kingdom net.
Conceding a goal was a huge setback for Stephen Molumphy’s men, but they steadied the ship somewhat by the end of the first quarter, with a superb Colin Walsh point leaving it 1-3 to 0-3.
By that stage, Kerry keeper Louis Dee had foiled Laois wing-forward David Dooley from close range, with both sides exchanging a brace of points (1-5 to 0-5) by the 25th minute.
With Purcell running the show around the middle, Laois were creating several opportunities, and the Kingdom were indebted to corner-back Evan Murphy for a stunning goal-line block to deny Aaron Dunphy.
However, three points on the trot for the O’Moore County had the margin extended to six points, before Kerry half-forward Killian Hayes launched over a stunning long-range score (1-8 to 0-6).
Against the run of play, the Kingdom almost raised a green flag out of the blue when a long free from Mackessy dropped in the danger zone, but Dan Goggin fired a groundstroke wide of the near post and this proved Kerry’s last real chance of making a game of it.
Laois retired 1-10 to 0-7 ahead at the interval and then introduced Willie Dunphy for the second half for Stephen Maher.
The second half was a free-ridden affair with Antrim referee Colm McDonald punishing Kerry for every infringement with the result that Aaron Dunphy scored 0-9 for Laois from placed balls. Midfielders Aidan Corby added two from play and the classy Paddy Purcell another.
Kerry were over-reliant on two players playing at the back, Fionan Mackessy with 0-4 and Ronan Walsh with two more, but never got close enough as the Laois defence shut up shop.
Laois now prepare for Down in two weeks while Kerry have one last shot at making the final if they can upset Offaly in Tullamore.
A Dunphy (0-11, 8fs, 1’65), T Keyes (1-1), S Maher (0-3, 2fs, 1’65), L O’Connell, A Corby, P Purcell and D Dooley (0-2 each), T Cuddy and J Lennon (0-1 each)
F Mackessy (0-5, 2fs), C Walsh (0-4, 3fs), M O’Connor (2fs, 1’65), R Walsh (0-3), M Leane, K Hayes and B Barrett (0-1 each)
L Dee, E Murphy, F McCarthy, D Griffin, K O’Connor, F Mackessy, E Leen, D Shanahan, C Walsh, R Walsh, K Hayes, D Goggin. L Crowley, M Leane, M O’Connor.
G Dooley for D Goggin (42), B Barrett for K Hayes (43) N Mulcahy for M O’Connor (48). D Wolfe for L Crowley (51), B Keane for D Shanahan (73)
E Rowland; I Shanahan, R Mullaney, D Conway; L O’Connell, P Delaney, T Cuddy; A Corby, P Purcell; A Dunphy, S Maher, D Dooley; T Keyes, M Dowling, J Quinlan.
W Dunphy for S Maher (h/t), F C Fennell for T Cuddy (54), J Lennon for P Purcell (63), R King for M Dowling (67), J Duggan for J Quinlan (59)
C McDonald (Antrim)
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
