Laois got their NHL Division 2 campaign off to a winning start in the wild environs of Adrian Freeman Park in Tooreen as they took on Mayo in a competitive game for the first time.
Tommy Fitzgerald named a strong team for the game and included a couple of new faces in the mix. Laois came into the game as hot favourites against a Mayo side which was also weakened due to resting a number of players from Tooreen, the current five-in-a-row county champions.
As a contest, the game was out of sight within the opening 20 minutes or so as Laois led 3-7 to no score after having the benefit of a decent breeze.
The full forward line of Mossy Keyes, James Keyes and Cillian Dunne was electrifying in the opening 35 minutes of the game as they combined for 5-7 of Laois' 5-15 half time score, with Dunne arguably the most impressive on his debut with 2-2 from play and also playing a major role in two of James Keyes' three first half goals.
While the forwards were excellent throughout that period, the backs were potentially better, as they held Mayo to a single point in the first half, a point that came with the last puck before the break via what looked like a soft free.
Ryan Mullaney, Podge Delaney and Ciaran McEvoy proved to be an impervious half-back unit, with Mullaney being kept particularly busy as the Mayo backs inexplicably insisted on firing high balls down on top of him, and he capped off his good performance with a second-half goal.
With the work done after 35 minutes, the second half proved to be a much less exciting affair for the good number of Laois fans that travelled, as Mayo had the benefit of the wind and battled to retain their pride after a dour first half.
Laois had the benefit of a deceptively strong breeze in the first half, weather that's par for the course on this side of the country and they took advantage with an early brace of scores from Mossy Keyes and Jack Kelly before raising the first of five green flags before the break when James Keyes came in off the left to hit the bottom corner.
Just a minute later, Cillian Dunne marked his NHL debut with a lovely finish after great work by Mossy Keyes to break a couple of tackles and assist the debutant, following up his assist to James Keyes beforehand. The Laois dominance continued further with a point from Jack Kelly, followed by Dunne and a brace for James Keyes, with David Dooley having a shot from close range stopped by Kevin Duffy in the Mayo nets.
The score was 2-6 to no score with 20 minutes gone, with all scores coming from play until Aaron Dunphy slotted a 65 moments before James Keyes was in for his second goal, coming from more good work by his cousin Mossy out on the wing before Dunne fired a brilliant pass inside to the goalscorer and he finished his chance.
While the Laois forwards were impressive, the backline was also outstanding and the Mayo forwards were beginning to show their frustrations as they could get nothing going from play and they were extremely wasteful with their frees. Centre forward Cormac Phillips mishit no less than four frees into the wind in the first half.
Eoin Gaughan, Ciaran McEvoy, Kelly and Dunne continued the point scoring for the visitors before James Keyes completed is hattrick in the 32nd minute after good work again by Dunne.
Not to be left behind, Dunne lashed in his second a minute later after a great flick and strike off the back of a pass inside by Dooley. Laois finished out the half strongly with points from Mossy Keyes, Gaughan and Dunphy, but the hosts managed to sneak onto the scoreboard before the break with a free from Ryan Duffy.
The strength of the wind began to increase in Tooreen during the half-time break and with very little shelter from the surrounding bogland, Mayo were aided hugely and looked more dangerous from the off in the second period with a quick brace of frees from Duffy. Aaron Dunphy fired back with two from play and one from a free, but the hosts continued to improve as Duffy landed three in succession, two frees and one from play.
While there was no chance of a resurgence from the hosts, the drop in Laois's performance was cause for complaint from those who travelled up to Tooreen as the energy levels had dropped after a fantastic first half. The mood was buoyed once again when Ryan Mullaney made a charging run up the field and received a handpass from 30 metres out and lashed it low into the Mayo net for the sixth and final goal of the game.
Much to their credit, Mayo responded in positive fashion for the home support as they went on to rattle off the next five scores in a row via three Duffy frees and two majestic points from Cormac Phillips - the man that could do nothing right in the first half.
Tommy Fitzgerald and co emptied the bench in the second half with five subs and Fionan Mahony impressed with a brace of points while Cormac Byrne also got himself on the scoresheet.
Those scores brought an end to the first game of this year's NHL campaign and Laois will march on to face Derry in O'Moore Park on Sunday after a solid victory.
Full-Time
Laois 6-23
Mayo 0-12
SCORERS - Laois: James Keyes 3-2, Cillian Dunne 2-2, Aaron Dunphy 0-6 (0-4 frees, 0-1 65), Ryan Mullaney 1-0, Jack Kelly, Mossy Keyes and Eoin Gaughan 0-3 each, Fionan Mahony 0-2, Ciaran McEvoy and Cormac Byrne 0-1 each. Mayo: Ryan Duffy 0-10 (0-8 frees, 0-1 65), Cormac Phillips 0-2.
LAOIS: Cathal Dunne (Clough-Ballacolla); Ian Shanahan (Ballinakill), Lee Cleere (Clough-Ballacolla), Cody Comerford (The Harps); Ciaran McEvoy (Portlaoise), Podge Delaney (The Harps), Ryan Mullaney (Castletown); Aidan Corby (Clough-Ballacolla), Eoin Gaughan (Camross); David Dooley (Rosenallis), Jack Kelly (Rathdowney-Errill), Aaron Dunphy (Borris-Kilcotton); Cillian Dunne (Clough-Ballacolla), James Keyes (Colt-Shanahoe), Tomas Keyes (Camross). Subs: Eoghan Murphy (The Harps) for Comerford (40, inj), Martin Phelan (Castletown) for Dooley and Fionan Mahony (Abbeyleix) for Corby (both 43), Cormac Byrne (Abbeyleix) for T Keyes (53), Mark Dowlng (Camross) for Cillian Dunne (60)
MAYO: Kevin Duffy; Michael Gallagher, Eoghan Collins, Jack Trench; Conor Murray, Diarmuid Phillips, Eoin Ryan; John Heraty, Oisin Ivers; Ronan Fallon, Cormac Phillips, Colm Enright; Brendan Sheridan, Joseph Burke, Ryan Duffy. Subs: Fionn Delaney for Trench (20 - 25), Martin Parsons for Duffy, Corey Scahill for Fallon and Fionn Delaney for Enright (all ht), Padraic Mooney for Murray (49)
REFEREE: Ciaran O'Regan (Cork)
