"I have to take this one on the chin. That performance wasn't acceptable" - Laois boss Billy Sheehan

It wasn't the start to Inter County management that Billy Sheehan was looking for on Saturday as his Laois troops came out the wrong side of a 15 point beating at the hands of Wexford in the opening round of the O'Byrne Cup.

6-10 to 0-13 stood the final scoreline in a bitterly cold Shelmaliers club with the game probably already out of their reach by half time as they trailed 3-8 to 0-6.

Speaking after the game, the new Laois boss wasn't shirking responsibility.

"The boys attitude has been excellent all along and we can make excuses but I have to take this one on the chin. That performance wasn't acceptable and I take the full blame for that. If I don't have the team set up properly, I have to look at myself and not the players.

"We would be disappointed to be honest with you. We got to look at ourselves, management and me especially. The goal chances we gave away and we only created two or three ourselves. They created numerous chances and opened us up. I wouldn't be happy at all to be honest."

Wexford prove far superior and put Laois to sword in O'Byrne Cup opener

2022 Senior Football O'Byrne Cup 1st Round

Like every County around the Country, injuries and Covid-19 had and will have a big part to play during the O'Byrne cup and National league and Sheehan confirmed after the game that what they had togged out in Wexford was all they had available.

"It was the first game that Laois have played in eight or nine months. We used 25 players today so it was nice to get a bit of football into them.

"Due to injuries and Covid, we did only have 26 players available today so we might get one or two back for next Wednesday or Saturday but we don't really know yet."

Meath will travel to Stradbally on Wednesday night for the second game in a seven day period and while in normal circumstances you would expect wholesale change to try out different guys, the Kerry native explained that they will probably still only have the same batch of players available.

"We put 10 subs on there and that was with Wednesday night in mind with lads carrying injuries and not wanting to overload players as well. We will get more football into them and hopefully a better performance on Wednesday.

"Things will have to improve on Wednesday night, simple as that."

Sheehan has been delighted with the application and effort from his troops thus far and while some players have not committed for various reasons, the players at his disposal have but their shoulder to the wheel insists the former Laois footballer.

"We have lost a few players to long term injuries and we also have lost lads that are going travelling and a few more that have decided not to commit to Laois this year. That's fair enough.

"The lads that are here are giving me 200 percent and I cannot fault them."