NHL DIVISION 2 - Laois make hard work of Kildare test
Laois got their NHL campaign up and running in O'Moore Park on Tuesday night, but it was a far from impressive performance as they battled to a hard earned 10 point win over 14 man Kildare.
Laois 1-15
Kildare 0-8
In a game which won't live too long in the memory, Laois struggled from the start and for periods in the first half Kildare looked the better side. Coming into the game, most Laois fans would have been expecting Laois to cruise through this fixture, but with Antrim next up for Laois, Kildare provided them with a timely reminder that every team in this division is capable of causing them problems.
The Lilywhites lead on four separate occasions in the first half as the Laois attack contnued to mis-fire, while the defence was well off the performance level they displayed against Clare. The midfield was disappointing as well, as very little clean possession was won from either Laois or Kildare puckouts, while breaking ball repeatedly ended up in a mass of players pushing and shoving before referee Declan O'Driscoll called a halt for a throw in.
On a night of few genuine positives for Laois, they can at least take comfort from knowing it's their first two points of the campaign, and that they managed to win in spite of a below par performance. With no new injuries picked up it is another plus for Niall Rigney and his management team, while Neil Foyle showed well at times in the second half, as did Eoin Costelloe, who finished with four points from play.
It was Kildare who started the game the brighter of the two teams however, as points from David Harney and Billy White canceled out an early effort form Willie Hyalnd. Laois were struggling to impose themselves on the game and Kildare were taking full advantage, with Declan O'Driscoll awarding them a penalty when Brian Stapleton was adjudged to have taken down Paddy Moloney in the square. Richie Hoban came up from centre back to take it, but his shot blazed over the bar and with it went Kildare's best chance of a goal.
Laois responded well to that wake-up call, and Willie Hyland pointed a free before going on a wonderful 50 yard run through the Kildare defence to set up Tommy Fitzgerald for the game's only goal. That should have been the catalyst to drive Laois on to better things, but instead it was Kildare who reacted the better to the goal, as two points from Billy White and one from Tony Murphy put them back in front.
Laois were creating chances but their shot selection at times was very poor. Too often shots either dropped short or went well wide, and after Niall Rigney's warning to his forwards after the Clare game, it's hard to imagine he much words of encouragement for them after this.
A Willie Hyland free leveled the game for the third time, but again it was Kildare who reacted the better with Billy White firing over a free. What Laois really needed was a moment of inspiration or somebody to take the game by the scruff of the neck and inspire those around him, but instead they had to settle for slugging it out and wearing Kildare down. Brian Campion and Hyland added further frees before the game swung in Laois favour when Kildare full back David Ryan was sent off for a tackle of Eoin Costelloe. Another Willie Hyland free before half time left Laois 1-6 to 0-7 ahead at the break.
It didn't get much better on the restart as Laois relied on Neil Foyle, a first half substitute for John Purcell, to keep the scoreboard ticking over. It was he who gained possession and did well to set up Eoin Costelloe for a handy point three minutes in, before taking over the free-taking responsibilities from the mis-firing Willie Hyland to add two more.
Billy White again responded for Kildare, but Laois' man advantage was beginning to tell now as Brian Stapleton, who was handed the role of sweeper, cut out ball after ball. With Kildare increasingly toothless in attack, Laois slowly but surely pulled away, as points from Eoin Costelloe and Tommy Fitzgerald saw them pull clear for a ten point victory.
SCORERS: LAOIS: Willie Hyland 0-6 (four frees), Eoin Costelloe 0-4, Tommy Fitzgerald 1-1, Neil Foyle 0-2 (both frees), Jimmy Dunne, Brian Campion (free) 0-1 each; KILDARE: Billy White 0-5 (four frees), Richie Hoban (pen), David Harney, Tony Murphy 0-1 each
LAOIS: Eoin Reilly; Brian Stapleton, Darren Maher, Cconor Dunne; John A Delaney, Brian Campion, Mick McEvoy; Shane Dollard, Brian Dunne; Cahir Healy, Eamon Jackman, Willie Hyland; Eoin Costelloe, Tommy Fitzgerald, John Purcell. Subs: Neil Foyle for Purcell (24 mins), Owen Houlihan for B Dunne (50 mins), Jimmy Dunne for Jackman (55 mins)
KILDARE: Paul Dermody; Paul Keegan, David Ryan, Paudie Reidy; Danny Byrne, Richie Hoban, Neil O'Muineachain; Michael Divilly, Billy White; Tony Murphy, David Kennedy, Paul Buggy; Paddy Moloney, David Harney, Martin Fitzgerald. Subs: John Holohan for Murphy (58 mins), Mark Moloney for P Moloney (62 mins), Brian Aherne for O'Muineachain (65 mins), Eanna O'Neill for White (70 mins)
Referee: Declan O'Driscoll (Limerick)
In Brief...
Main Man - John A Delaney
Not a lot fo candidates in truth, but Delaney picked up an awful lot of ball in the Laois defence and appears to be in wonderful form at the moment. He was released to wing back for this game but his performance levels never dropped, and he must now be one of the first names on Niall Rigney's team sheet.
Score of the Game
Laois' goal was the best this game had to offer, as Willie Hyland won possession out on the left wing and ran directly through the Kildare defence before offloading to Tommy Fitzgerald, and he cut inside to fire home. It was one of the few times Laois really attacked Kildare and they were rewarded with a goal, which made it all the more puzzling as the game progressed as to why they insisted on shooting from ridiculous angles and distances. Hopefully this is a lesson learned for all involved
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Saturday 04 February 2012
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