Laois U-20 footballers bow out of Leinster Championship after Carlow draw

The Laois U-20 footballers are out of this year's Dalata Hotel Group Leinster Championship after they drew away to Carlow on Wednesday evening.

Laois came into the game knowing that they needed a 23-point swing in order to overtake Wexford in second-place but that never happened as they failed to win. They now drop down to the Andrew Corden Cup where they'll be joined by the other teams who failed to qualify for the quarter-finals.

Laois 2-10

Carlow 1-13

It didn't take long for the first white flag to be raised in SETU Carlow as Ian Craddock opened the scoring for the home side after 30 seconds. Carlow dominated the early passages of the game but their accuracy was failing them as they kicked wide after wide. Laois' first score of the contest came in the 6th minute when Portlaoise's Darren Brennan slotted the ball between the posts after a great kick pass in by Jake Darcy.

Liam Gavin kicked over Carlow's second point before one of Laois' vice-captains Conor Raggett made a superb block to deny Brandon Cassidy. It was Brennan who pointed for his and Laois' second point after the O'Moore men caught a Carlow kick-out with Brennan on the end of the score. Carlow fired over the next two points courtesy of Cassidy and midfielder John Piri.

With Laois trailing by two points, their next attack would see them go ahead as Raggett popped up in the square to volley the ball into an empty net after a superb pass across the goal by Stradbally's David Donohue. Unfortunately for Laois, Carlow erased the goal with the next three scores, with the third one seeing an orange flag raised. Cassidy and Gavin pointed from play before the latter stepped up to point a two-pointer free. Laois had been guilty of not allowing Carlow to move forward after they had called a mark, which allowed Gavin to bring the ball back outside the 40-metre arc.

Sam Ryan got Laois' final score of the first period, with Laois lucky not to have conceded a goal just before the break as Craddock had a shot that hit the post before the same player flashed the ball wide of Luke O'Reilly's goal. Carlow led by two points at half-time, 0-8 to 1-3.

Laois came flying out of the blocks in the second period and looked to get themselves in front, with Kildare winning by 10 points down in Wexford. Donohue scored within 30 seconds of the restart before they drew themselves level from an Ennae Byrne free after Brennan was fouled. The Portlaoise star pushed Laois in front for the first time since Raggett's goal as he raised Laois' first orange flag of the game. 

Carlow once again provided a superb response after going behind as they breached O'Reilly's goal when Jake Nolan palmed the ball into an empty net for the home side. Laois replied with a goal of their own, no more than 30 seconds later. Ryan Little and Brennan played a one-two before Little rattled the back of the Carlow net. Cassidy and a free from Gavin saw Carlow get themselves back level at 1-10 to 2-7 with 13 minutes to play.

Laois went ahead yet again as Byrne pointed a free, but Carlow would go on to score the next three points. Nolan and two placed balls from Gavin pushed them two points ahead with three minutes to go. Fionn O'Sullivan ensured Laois still had a chance to snatch a draw as he made a great block to stop Carlow from scoring into an empty net after O'Reilly was caught upfield. Laois managed to get level as Carlow breached the three-back rule, which gave Byrne the chance to take a shot for two points, and the Arles-Killeen man nailed it to see the sides end all square.

Laois will be competing in the Andrew Corden Cup, with the quarter-finals due to take place next Wednesday, April 16.