Laois' relegation confirmed after loss to Carlow in Hurling League Division 1B

Martin Kavanagh of Carlow with a free. Pic: ©INPHO/James Lawlor

Allianz Hurling League Division 1B: LAOIS 0-29 CARLOW 2-26

Laois will hurl outside the top two tiers of the Allianz Hurling League for the first time in 13 seasons next Spring, after their relegation was confirmed in an entertaining and topsy turvy contest against Carlow this afternoon.

Both sides enjoyed short bursts of supremacy throughout the contest, and if referee Brian Keon had chosen to extend the contest for another 15 minutes, it would have surprised no-one if the lead changed hands four or five more times in that period.

As it happened it was Carlow who were in the middle of a purple patch when the contest came to a conclusion, having outscored their neighbours by 1-4 to 0-1 from the moment when Conor Kehoe passed the ball into Ted Joyce to set up an equalising goal in the 63rd minute.

Carlow’s win guaranteed their survival and keeps their own hopes of promotion alive, though Tom Mullally’s troops would need to beat Westmeath and to get help from Offaly and Laois against Waterford and Dublin respectively in the final round of games.

For the two counties to have to look in very different directions seems harsh after such a close battle, where Laois were arguably undone by their lack of penetration close to goal. It wasn’t just that two of their three inside forwards scored a single point between them, but also the lack of a clearcut goal threat that forced them to have to work that bit harder throughout.

When Laois responded to Carlow’s fast start with five points in a row, Paddy Boland was on hand to pounce on a rebound off the crossbar to sweep the ball to the net from close range, shifting the momentum at a crucial early stage.

Ted Joyce and Ciarán Whelan got the best of the points as Carlow pushed on to lead by 1-8 to 0-6 by the 20th minute, but Laois were again the better side for the remainder of the first half, drawing level before two late errors allowed Carlow to take a narrow 1-13 to 0-14 half-time lead.

Again the home side were the better team after half-time, picking off long-range points from Aidan Corby and Jordan Walshe, while Aaron Dunphy had a perfect 12 from 12 afternoon on dead balls to help them move two clear by the midway point on the half.

By this stage, it was Carlow’s stronger contribution off the bench that made the difference. James Doyle and Donagh Murphy both pointed with their first possession after coming on while Conor Kehoe played a key role in setting up Ted Joyce’s goal, the score that ultimately divided the teams.

Scorers for Laois: A Dunphy 0-16 (0-12f), PJ Scully 0-3, T Keyes 0-3, A Corby 0-3, J Walshe 0-2, C Byrne 0-1, FC Fennell 0-1.

Scorers for Carlow: M Kavanagh 0-13 (0-10f, 0-1 65), T Joyce 1-2, P Boland 1-1, J Nolan 0-2, C Whelan 0-2, C Nolan 0-2, E Kealy 0-1, John Doyle 0-1, James Doyle 0-1, D Murphy 0-1.

LAOIS: C Dunne; D Conway, L Cleere, C Comerford; T Cuddy, P Delaney, J Walshe; FC Fennell, D Dooley; A Corby, T Keyes, A Dunphy; PJ Scully, M Dowling, C Byrne.

SUBS: D Hartnett for Delaney (29), J Keyes for Corby (54), J Duggan for Byrne (58), W Dunphy for Dowling (70).

CARLOW: B Tracey; P Doyle, P O’Shea, D Wall; E Kealy, K McDonald, J McCullagh; F Fitzpatrick, C Whelan; J Nolan, C Nolan, John Doyle; M Kavanagh, P Boland, T Joyce.

SUBS: C Kehoe for Fitzpatrick (45), James Doyle for Boland (48), D Murphy for John Doyle (59), R Coady for Joyce (70+3).

Referee: Brian Keon (Galway).