'It was a warrior performance'- Justin McNulty hails Laois' nine-point victory over Westmeath

Laois delivered a statement performance in Portlaoise on Saturday evening, overpowering Westmeath with a display that underlined both their physical edge and attacking sharpness.

From the throw-in, Laois imposed themselves on their Midland neighbours, winning primary possession and dictating the tempo throughout. 

Manager Justin McNulty hailed the intensity and resilience shown by his players, while also stressing that attention must quickly turn to the challenge that lies ahead against Fermanagh.

“Very proud, absolutely, I said to the fellas there, very proud to stand in the same dressing room as them because it was such a warrior performance from the first minute right through to the 75th/80th minute and one they had to dig deep to deliver. We didn’t get the run of the ball last week and things didn't work out for us despite a huge effort from the players last week and we just, we dug in, our backs were to the wall and we came out fighting and that's what the boys did tonight. We should all be very proud of it and enjoy these nights because these nights don't come around that often.

“We deserve to soak it in but know that we have to very quickly shift our focus to the next game and Fermanagh away it's going to be a tough, tough encounter and we've still some finishing off to do because we're not there yet in the division,” McNulty said.

READ NEXT: The full report from Saturday evening

Control around the middle third proved decisive, particularly on restarts, where Laois consistently disrupted Westmeath’s platform while ensuring efficiency in their own kick-out strategy.

“It was a warrior performance on kick outs and in every facet of the game. We caused real problems for them on their kick outs and we were very efficient on our own so that was the platform for the game. There are areas for improvement on our performance, we didn't look after the ball as well as we should have done but we got scores, and in the big moments we won the big moments, we got the big scores at big times and fully deserving of our victory tonight,” he said.

The scoreboard reflected that dominance. Three goals ultimately put daylight between the sides, with Ronan Coffey striking early to set the tone before Paul Kingston and Evan O’Carroll added further green flags in the closing stages.

McNulty pointed to the character shown by both individuals and the collective, particularly in responding to previous setbacks and maintaining composure.

“Evan demonstrated his character and the team demonstrated their character. It could have been easier just to say things aren't going our way and accept that but the players refused to accept that and they just wanted to do themselves justice and they did that very much so on the evening. We do also recognise that we got the breaks tonight and Westmeath weren't firing, we played a part in that but we're staying humble and hard working. We've got to keep the focus on being better because there are still areas for improving our performance and we have to very quickly shift our sights on to Fermanagh because they'll not be an easy touch up there in Enniskillen. They're always a tough, tough opposition and they beat us well up there last year so we know how tough it's going to be,” McNulty added.

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There was a welcome boost on the personnel front too, as Emo’s Pa Kirwan made his first appearance in several months after a long rehabilitation period. The manager was keen to acknowledge the unseen effort involved in that return, along with the wider commitment within the panel.

“Pa Kirwan in particular, he's been in a lonely place for the last number of months with a tough, tough injury to recover from after surgery. He deserves enormous credit for that and just quietly, stealthily going about his business, doing the work and sticking to the process and the whole group and it's not just Pa, Paul and Niall, it's the squad right.

“We're having to sit down as a coaching team to really have a tough, tough time picking our 26 because there are guys who could justifiably maybe throw their heads up and start talking in wee corners but they haven’t and they’ve stayed going and stayed positive, sticking to the process, trusting the process and when you trust the process, the process ultimately rewards you,” he said.

Despite the comprehensive nature of the win, Laois were not without disruption during the week, as Ben Dempsey picked up an injury in training. McNulty felt the group’s response to adversity has been one of their defining traits.

“The team's experiencing setback after setback, but they haven't allowed them to derail them and they kept going. We obviously know tonight's a good night, we don't get carried away, we’ll stay humble, hard working and we've got to be better the next day,” he commented.

Attention now turns to Enniskillen on Saturday, March 14, where Fermanagh await. While their opponents have yet to register a point in the campaign, McNulty is anticipating a fierce examination away from home.

“Listen, there's no doubt, if we in any way underestimate Fermanagh, we'll be in serious bother. There could be a sting in their tail. We've got to go up there prepared for battle, the same way we were prepared for battle tonight. Even more so because we're away from home and Fermanagh will be trying to earn some respect and some more pride in their performance in the league because they're coming into that game with zero points, so there might be a sting in their tail and we've got to be prepared for that,” McNulty concluded.