Experimental Laois side beaten by Wicklow in O’Byrne Cup Shield

An experimental Laois side have been beaten in the semi-finals of the O’Byrne Cup Shield by Wicklow in Rathnew GAA this afternoon.

The Laois side featured many new faces with 10 players only called into the panel last weekend.

Wicklow 1-20

Laois 0-12

Laois got the game underway with a point from a free as Ciaran Burke was fouled with Brian Daly pointing the resulting free. Cathal Baker replied instantly for the home side before Tom Moran hand-passed the ball over the black spot to make it two points to one.

Laois next score came from another free as Daly was fouled with Rioghan Murphy’s left foot slotting over the placed ball. Wicklow hit another two points without reply as Gearoid Murphy and Darragh Fed both raised white flags as Wicklow now had four points all from play.

Brian Brennan was on the end of the third Laois point after good build-up from Daly and Murphy allowed the Crettyard forward to slot the ball over. Baker pointed his second of the contest in reply to Brennan’s point. Stradbally’s Liam Knowles scored the point of the game as he pinged the ball over from the 45-yard line.

Brian Nesbitt (free) and Fee’s second free pushed Wicklow three points ahead. Murphy would soon score his second point as Daly done well in the corner before laying the ball off to the Portarlington forward. Wicklow’s Jack Kirwan was quickest to react to blast the ball into the back of the net after Conor Gee had blocked Darragh Fee’s goal-bound effort. Kevin Quinn opened his account as Wicklow led 1-8 to 0-5.

Daly pointed from play before Wicklow fired over three on the bounce. Nesbitt scored from play from a free while Quinn got his second of the game. Murphy was fouled for the last score of the half as he pointed to leave it 1-11 to 0-7 to Wicklow.

Wicklow took full control at the beginning of the second period as they fired over the first six scores of the half without any Laois reply. Dean Healy pointed twice while Joe Prendergast, Liam O’Neill, Christopher O’Brien and Baker all raised white flags as Wicklow now held a 13-point advantage. Brian Daly pointed a free to get Laois off the mark in the second half before JP Nolan and Oisin McGraynor tapped over a point each for the home side.

Laois ended the game with four points on the trot as Murphy pointed two frees with Daly adding another from a placed ball. Substitute Dylan Kavanagh scored a lovely point before Wiclow’s Patrick O’Keane saw his shot saved by Laois goalkeeper Conor Brown and he tapped over the rebound. Wicklow winning by 11 points in the end.

Laois have a two-week break before their first Division 4 game against Longford in Laois Hire O’Moore Park on Saturday, January 27.