First half scoring prowess propels Laois past Wicklow in Tailteann Cup opener

The Laois senior footballers are into Round 2A of this year's Tailteann Cup after they had seven points to spare over Wicklow in Portlaoise on Sunday afternoon.

Laois did a good bit of their scoring in the first half, where they had the advantage of playing with a strong breeze blowing from The Town End towards Abbeyleix. They had 1-15 on the scoreboard at the break and led by 12 points by half-time.

Wicklow came back in the second half and got it back to seven points, but that's as close as Oisin McConville's side got. 

The first big chance fell to Ronan Coffey after two minutes when his goal-bound effort was cleared off the line by Gavin Fogarty. Mark Kenny kicked the first point in Portlaoise as Wicklow went into the lead for the only time in the first half.

Rob Tyrrell got Laois up and running before Matthew Byron came forward to kick a 45' after Kevin Swayne's shot for goal was blocked by Christopher O'Brien. Evan O'Carroll opened his account as Laois led 0-3 to 0-1 with nine minutes played. Oisin McGraynor got Wicklow back within one point soon after, but that's as close as they would get in the first 35 minutes.

Daragh Galvin had another goal chance for Laois, but saw his shot saved by Mark Jackson. Byron kicked over the resulting 45' for Justin McNulty's side. O'Carroll then raised his second white flag of the contest. Eoin Darcy pointed from a free for what was only Wicklow's third score. 

From here, Laois took full control and went to town on Wicklow, scoring 1-8 without reply as Wicklow went 18 minutes without scoring. Laois' goal came after Ciaran Burke had won the ball deep in the Laois defence before he booted it forward and Tyrrell flicked the ball onto Pa Kirwan. He, in turn, played it to Aaron McEvoy, he gave it to Daragh Galvin and he found O'Carroll, who rifled the ball past Jackson.

Laois were getting a lot of joy out of letting Wicklow go short on the restarts and then turning them over. Ronan Coffey and O'Carroll each added a point before Coffey curled over a two-pointer. Byron was then called into action when McGraynor played the ball to Dean Healy. The Courtwood clubman saved his palmed effort. Pa Kirwan then kicked two points in a row for Laois. Evan O'Carroll took his first half tally to 1-5 when he kicked Laois' second two-pointer of the half.

Wicklow finally got a point in the 33rd minute, having not scored since the 15th minute, when Joe Prendergast split the posts. Mark Jackson came up from the Wicklow goals to kick a two-point free into the wind after it was brought forward for Cian Nolan not handing the ball back. Cian Nolan made up for that just before half-time as he was fouled outside the 40-metre arc and Byron brought his total to four points when he kicked the two-point free over the black spot. Laois led 1-15 to 0-6 at the break.

Kirwan raised the first white flag of the half before Wicklow began trying to eat into Laois' lead with the wind behind them. Kenny pointed their first of the second period before Laois hit three in a row through Galvin, Swayne and Cian Nolan. Laois then went 12 minutes getting a score, as Wicklow got it back to eight points with 53 minutes played. They scored seven points in that time with McGraynor pointing twice, Jackson kicking two two-point frees and Darcy (free) getting the other score.

In that period, both sides had a goal chance each as Jackson saved one-on-one from Galvin and Byron made a good smothering save from Liam O'Neill. O'Carroll ended Laois' 12 minutes without a score as he picked up the rebound from a Paul Kingston shot that was saved by Jackson. Wicklow captain Dean Healy got another two-pointer for Wicklow with Swayne replying down the other end for Laois.

The last four points of the game were traded as Kingston kicked two frees for Laois, while Darcy (free) and Eoin Murtagh (two-pointer) got the scores for Wicklow.

Laois now go into the bowl for Round 2A of the Tailteann Cup, where they'll be up against another county that won their Round 1 game. The draw is on Monday afternoon at 1pm on GAA+.

FULL-TIME

LAOIS 1-23

WICKLOW 0-19

SCORERS — Laois: Evan O’Carroll 1-6 (one two-pointer), Matthew Byron 0-4 (one two-point free), Ronan Coffey (one two-pointer) and Pa Kirwan 0-3 each, Paul Kingston (frees) and Kevin Swayne 0-2 each, Daragh Galvin, Robert Tyrrell, and Cian Nolan 0-1 each. Wicklow: Mark Jackson 0-6 (three two-point frees), Oisin McGraynor (0-2 frees) and Eoin Darcy (frees) 0-3 each, Dean Healy (two-pointer), Eoin Murtagh (two-pointer), and Mark Kenny 0-2 each, Joe Prendergast 0-1. 

LAOIS: Matthew Byron (Courtwood); Jack Lacey (St Joseph’s), Trevor Collins (Graiguecullen), Alex Mohan (Portarlington); Paddy O'Sullivan (Portarlington), Aaron McEvoy (Ballyroan-Abbey), Kevin Swayne (Portlaoise); Rob Tyrrell (Courtwood), Conor Heffernan (Killeshin); Ciaran Burke (Crettyard), Ronan Coffey (Portarlington), Pa Kirwan (Emo); Cian Nolan (Park-Ratheniska), Darragh Galvin (Portarlington), Evan O’Carroll (Crettyard). Subs: Simon Fingleton (Park-Ratheniska) for Lacey (15 mins), Paul Kingston (Arles-Killeen) for Galvin (48 mins), Rioghan Murphy (Portarlington) for McEvoy (52 mins), Brian Byrne (Graiguecullen) for Nolan (54 mins), Niall Corbet (Clonaslee St Manman's) for Kirwan (61 mins)

WICKLOW: Mark Jackson; Tom Moran, Conall O’Gallchobhair, Gavin Fogarty; Jacques McCall, Matt Nolan, Jonathan Carlin; Dean Healy, Cathal Baker; Jack Hardy, Padraig O’Toole, Christopher O’Brien; Oisin McGraynor, Mark Kenny, Eoin Darcy.  Subs: Joe Prendergast for O’Gallchobhair (30 mins), Conor Fee for Baker and Liam O'Neill for Hardy (Both HT), Eoin Murtagh for McCall (48 mins), Paidi Kavanagh for Kenny (65 mins)