Laois U-20 hurlers denied by injury-time winner as Offaly leave Portlaoise with bragging rights

Laois came undone in their Leinster U-20 Hurling Championship opener to Offaly in Laois Hire O'Moore Park on Saturday afternoon in devastating fashion.

Storm Dave provided a gale-force wind, which Offaly had in the first half, but they could only manage to build up a three-point lead by half-time, and Laois really looked to have their measure. The second half opened with a Laois goal and the hosts dominated the early portion of the half to go on and take a three-point lead by the midway stage, but the visitors dug in deep and stayed in touch.

Offaly got back level before a goal from Conor Headen fired Laois back into a three-point lead, but disaster struck when Offaly put the ball in the net just seconds later. The sides went back and forth with scores for the remainder, but Mark Mulrooney got the all-important winner in injury-time.

Despite starting the game with the gale behind them, Offaly struggled to making any meaningful attacks in the opening stages with Evan Cassin and Donnacha Carroll snuffing out a couple of opportunities, and they were punished at the other end with a free from Eoghan Murphy and a strike from Cormac Byrne after a great passing move down the right flank of Jack Kennedy, Ross Deegan and Tony Mahony.

Offaly did eventually find their range and hit points through Gearoid Maher, Liam O'Riordan, Odhran Fletcher and Sean Carey, all within four minutes of each other to take a two-point lead. An excellent reply followed from Justin Duggan as he was being fouled, followed by a point from Ross Deegan, bringing the sides back level.

Deegan was proving to be a right handful for Offaly as he dropped back into a midfield role while Ruadhri Kavanagh was spare at the back, and Deegan was just as effective in defence as attack. Offaly hit another purple patch in which they landed five from play as the wind speeds continued to rise with Carey, Fletcher, O'Riordan, Mark Mulrooney and Conor Egan all on target.
Scores proved very hard to come by in the final ten minutes of the half, with Laois outscoring their opponents by two points to one.

Eoin Delaney struck after a huge scramble in front of the Offaly posts, and Fletcher replied with a free before Byrne struck a free for Laois after an Offaly free out was awarded but overturned after confusion about where they were to take it from.

Eventually, a throw ball was given, which became a Laois free and a yellow card for James O'Sullivan, and Byrne duly made it 0-10 to 0-7 at half time, not bad for Laois against that wind.

The second half opened perfectly for Laois when Murphy fired a long ball inside to his clubmate Eoin Delaney, who found Cormac Byrne and he batted sweetly into the net for a goal. Offaly initially hit back with a brace, but Laois had the momentum and struck four in a row, starting with a great score by Hugh Whelan.

Murphy added a pair from long-range placed balls, and Tony Mahony got his solitary score to put Laois two in front. Mark Mulroony got his first of four second half points for Offaly before the teams traded a brace of scores each, with Byrne and Duggan on target for Laois again.

Offaly came battling back with scores from Mulrooney and Gearoid Maher to make it a level game before Conor Headen rocketed a shot into the top left corner of the net to put three between them again. The lead was shortlived however, as Dion O'Connor was beaten by the wind under a hopeful high ball, and the sliotar landed at the feet of Patrick Lyons, who swept it into the net in the 55th minute.

Offaly smelt blood and pressed on with points from Fletcher and Carey, but a wonder score from Duggan and a long-ranger from Murphy kept the sides level going into injury time. The momentum was all with the Faithful now, and Mulrooney once again found himself wide open in the right corner of the field, and he split the posts to send the big travelling contingent into raptures.

Laois are now on the back foot in terms of qualification as they travel to Parnell Park next weekend to take on Dublin, which will be a stern test.

FINAL SCORE

OFFALY 1-20

LAOIS 2-16

SCORERS - Laois: Cormac Byrne 1-4 (0-2 frees, 0-1 65), Eoghan Murphy (two frees, one 65), Justin Duggan and Eoin Delaney 0-3 each, Cormac Headen 1-0, Hugh Whelan, Tony Mahoney and Ross Deegan 0-1 each. Offaly: Mark Mulrooney and Odhran Fletcher (three frees) 0-5 each, Sean Carey and Liam O'Riordan 0-3 each, Patrick Lyons 1-0, Gearoid Maher 0-2 (one free), Conor Egan and Andrew Hogan (free) 0-1 each.

LAOIS: Dion O’Connor (Trumera); Conor Mortimer (Camross), Evan Cassin (Clough/Ballacolla), Donnchadh Carroll (Mountrath); Jack Kennedy (The Harps), Eoghan Murphy (The Harps), Hugh Whelan (The Harps); Ruaidhri Kavanagh (Trumera), Donal Deegan (The Harps); Patrick O’Callaghan (Clonad), Ross Deegan (The Harps), Tony Mahony (The Harps); Justin Duggan (The Harps), Cormac Byrne (Abbeyleix), Eoin Delaney (The Harps). Subs: Mark Downey (The Harps) for O'Callaghan (45 mins), Dan Whelan (Castletown) for D Deegan (48 mins), Conor Headen (Ballypickas) for Mahony (49 mins), Charlie Hand (Clonad) for Cassin (55 mins).

OFFALY: Matt Watkins; Sean Og Foley, Ajay Cleary, Joey McLoughney; Andrew Hogan, James O’Sullivan, Harry Sweeney; Sean Carey, James Hennessy; Mark Mulrooney, Liam O’Riordan, Gearoid Maher; Odhran Fletcher, Patrick Lyons, Conor Egan. Subs: Darragh Scully for O'Riordan (28 mins - ht, blood), Marc Ryan for Maher (55 mins)

Referee: Eamonn Furlong (Wexford)