Last-gasp Laois point leaves 13-man Kerry flattened
DOUBLE YELLOW: Michael Leane of Kerry was dismissed at O'Moore Park. File pic: Matt Browne/Sportsfile
When Kerry met Laois last year they were in receipt of a 19-point hammering in the Joe McDonagh Cup. This top-of-the-table Division 2 clash, played on a heavy sod in O’Moore Park, was very different, ultimately decided by a 74th-minute point by Laois substitute Cormac Byrne.
By that stage Kerry were down to 13 players as Michael Leane, harshly, and Kyle O’Connor, deserved, had picked up second yellow cards. But it was tough on Kerry who fought heroically and probably deserved a share of the spoils at least.
Having led 0-9 to 0-8 at half time, Kerry were always in the contest in a hugely physical second half as they came from 0-17 to 0-14 down after 60 minutes to almost pull off a shock result.
Laois were on a roll as Jack Kelly, with four second-half points from play, and three frees from Aaron Dunphy had looked like securing a win for Laois. A 51st-minute second yellow for wing back Leane, proved the game changer but still the protagonists could not be separated.
Ronan Walsh, with two points, closed the gap to the minimum in the 64th minute, 0-17 to 0-16. Then Kyle O’Connor had to take down Cillian Dunne as he bore down on goal and the result was a second yellow and Padraig Delaney drilled the penalty past Bohane.
It was now a four-point game with Kerry down to 13 and the clock was running down. But another Walsh free after a Conway drag down was followed by a long-range free, which dropped short and was batted down to Oisin Maunsell who drilled the ball to the Laois net for the equalizer. Kerry’s joy was short lived as Laois grabbed that last-gasp winner from Cormac Byrne.
Aaron Dunphy reached and then passed 133 NHL points, becoming the 12th Laois hurler to do this but he still has some way to go to catch James Young, who holds the county record, with 325 points.
Kerry opened brightly playing with the breeze and brought the game to their more vaunted opponents with their inside line of Maunsell, Michael Slattery and Jordan Conway causing the Laois fullback line problems.
Ronan Walsh converted two early frees for fouls on Slattery and Maunsell but Cillian Dunne responded with a point from play. A Michael Slattery fetch and dish off saw Jordan Conway split the posts.
By the 16th minute Laois began to get to grips with their opponents and points from David Dooley and Aaron Dunphy, closed the gap to the minimum but Kevin Goulding restored the Kingdom’s two-point lead.
Kerry keeper Conor Bohane, who was born 100 metres from O’Moore Park, then floated in a long-range free and Maunsell was quickest to react and his goal-bound effort was brilliantly tipped over the bar by keeper Dunne.
A Tom Doyle free quickly forward and Kerry began to rattle the hosts but Aaron Dunphy steadied the Laois ship with a fine effort from play.
Laois were now on top with Ryan Mullaney and Dunphy adding points reduced the deficit to a point while Aidan Corby leveled the contest after Bohane at denied Keyes a goal from point blank range as Ronan Walsh ensured Kerry retired 0-9 to 0-8 in front.
On the basis of this game, both sides could meet again in the final.
A Dunphy (0-8, 7s), J Kelly (0-4), P Delaney (1-0, pen), D Dooley (0-2), R Mullaney, A Corby, C Dunne and C Byrne (0-1 each)
R Walsh (0-10, 9fs), O Maunsell (1-1), J Conway (0-2), K Goulding, T Doyle, M Slattery and G Dooley (0-1 each).
C Dunne; Padraig Dunne, I Shanahan, C Comerford; F C Fennell, P Delaney, R Mullaney ; D Dooley, A Corby; J Keyes, J Kelly, A Dunphy; Cillian Dunne, M Dowling, T Keyes.
L Cleere for P Dunne (57), E Gaughan for a Corby, C Byrne for T Keyes (64), C Byrne for M Dowling (71)
C Bohane; E Leen, S McGrath, K O’Connor; J O’ Connor, J Diggins, M Leane; K Goulding, R Walsh; T Doyle, C Walsh, J Brick; O Maunsell, M Slattery, J Conway.
G Dooley for C Walsh (32), D Casey for M Slattery (67), S Foran for J Brick (69), A Segal for K Goulding (72) Referee: C Flynn (Westmeath)
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