'We did what we had to do and we're up and running in the Tailteann'- Laois GAA manager Justin McNulty

Laois senior football manager Justin McNulty was satisfied to see his side open their Tailteann Cup campaign with a win, but acknowledged that the performance against Waterford left plenty to be desired.

While Laois ran out comfortable winners in Laois Hire O’Moore Park on Saturday, McNulty felt the month-long break since their last outing led to a disjointed display that never truly caught fire.

Speaking after the game, he said the result was never in doubt but admitted the performance wasn’t up to the standards they set for themselves.

"I think we did ultimately win at a canter. It wasn't as free-flowing as we would have liked. The standard of play wasn't what we would expect of ourselves, but we have had a month's gap without a game. I guess it was a bit of a tentative performance, played in fits and starts, but we did what we had to do and we're up and running in the Tailteann.
We're now focusing on one thing, and that's next week against Wicklow, who will have an axe to grind after what happened last year down in Aughrim. We know we have to really improve our performance across the board. Otherwise, we're on a hiding to nothing going down there," he said.

McNulty took encouragement from the impact of several fringe players who were handed rare opportunities in the absence of more established names. With injuries forcing changes, Laois turned to the depth of their panel, and weren’t let down.

"We had four or five players on the pitch today who haven't had consistent game-time, debutants so that's very positive and encouraging. Enforced, partially, because of injuries and other issues, but none of those guys looked out of place. That's hugely encouraging.

"We said we're going to have to go to our squad this year, and we certainly have been doing that. We've been very encouraged by the performance of the lads who have come in. We also know that as a team, we weren't good enough today. It wasn't the standard we expected of ourselves, and we need to be better," McNulty said.

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Among the standout performers on the day was Cathal Lee, who led the scoring charge and caused constant problems for the Waterford defence. "He could have had two goals on top of that, he'll be kicking himself that he didn't hit the net. But he's a sharpshooter, and that's a strong option for us for sure," the Laois manager said.

There was a setback before the break, however, as Mark Barry was forced off with a suspected hamstring issue, casting doubt over his availability for the next round. "Hamstring, it's a concern. We just took him out as a precaution. Hopefully it's nothing too serious, but it’s too early to say," he said.

In more positive news, McNulty revealed that Danny O’Reilly is on track to feature in next weekend’s trip to Aughrim. "Dicey’s coming good. He trained there this morning, so he'll be all right for next week," McNulty confirmed.

Laois also received a timely injection of energy from the bench, with Killeshin’s Michael Doran marking his debut with two points after joining the squad recently. "He looked natural and didn't look out of place. He got two good points as well. He looks like he's a very athletic, well-honed footballer, and hopefully he'll be competing for a starting place next week," he added.

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Reflecting more broadly on the competition, McNulty emphasised the importance of approaching every Tailteann Cup game with the right mentality, warning that complacency could prove costly.

"We're in the Tailteann and we don't necessarily like that, but it is what it is. We've got to prepare for every game and you've got to prepare for every opposition and if you don't they can bite you in the ass. Thankfully, the guys were effective in terms of dispatching Waterford today, who did show signs of having something to offer. With their issues, they have a lot of injury issues as well as departures. They've struggled, so it was a hiding to nothing game for us. It was a banana-skin game, but the guys still went and did what they had to do. Maybe not as efficiently, as fluidly, as ruthlessly and clinically as it could have been, but we still got out of here with the points," McNulty said.

Looking ahead to next weekend’s clash with Wicklow, McNulty made it clear that Laois will need to significantly raise their game.

"The standard of our performance today wasn't anywhere where it should have been, and what we expect of each other as a team. We know we've got to be a hell of a lot better across the board for a ding-dong battle in Aughrim next Saturday," he ended.

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