Heartbreak for Laois Minors as Offaly triumph in hard-fought Leinster final

Laois faced rivals Offaly in this surprising and novel Leinster Minor hurling championship final pairing in O'Moore Park. Declan Qualter's side were looking to make history and claim this Leinster title for the first time since 1964.

However, it wasn't to be on the day for this young Laois side, as Offaly proved that little bit cuter and slick to claim the trophy. Laois can hold their heads up high though with their effort, as they still have an All-Ireland series to play for.

Offaly 0-21

Laois 0-13

Ben Deegan opened the scoring for Laois from a placed ball around the middle of the park, but Offaly quickly hit back through wing-back Ter Guinan, who made a darting run before splitting the uprights.

Laois went back in front through Ben Deegan, as this time the Camross man fired over from play after good work from Eoghan Cuddy under pressure. Offaly equalised again, as Adam Screeney knocked over a free for the Faithful County.

Screeney sent over another free a minute later to put the away side ahead for the first time, Laois levelled through their full-forward, Jer Quinlan, as he fired over from close range.

Offaly went back in front through a Screeney free, and then the same man doubled that lead with a fine score from play. Midfielder Cillian Martin then launched over another from distance, and the Offaly lads had settled the better into this final.

Laois replied through wing-forward Jack Breen, who curled over a beauty from out near the stand. Both sides were then guilty of hitting several wides, but Laois eventually returned to the scoreboard thanks to a Ben Deegan free.

Screeney sliced over two frees on the trot for Offaly down the opposite end to put them three to the good. Deegan then produced a bit of magic to narrow that gap, as the Camross native sliced over a brilliant sideline cut.

Screeney was causing Laois issues in the first half though, as he drew yet another free and converted it. Deegan replied down the other end with a free himself.

That would be the final score of the first half, as Laois trailed 0-7 to 0-9 in a hard-fought and competitive game thus far.

Laois enjoyed plenty of possession in the opening few minutes, but it was Offaly who were more clinical. Offaly’s centre-forward and captain, Dan Ravenhill, scored three points on the spin, with two of them coming from Laois failing to clear their lines.

Laois returned to the scoreboard for the second half thanks to a Ben Deegan free. Offaly wing-back, Donal Shirley, responded with that by sending over a sublime score from out near the stand.

Deegan replied again for Laois with a free. While Conor Doyle scored a point from play for Offaly, Deegan once more stepped up to the plate, as he showed off his physicality to fire over once from play himself.

Offaly’s Shane Rigney and Laois’ Cormac Byrne exchanged scores, and then Offaly hit three on the trot to leave Laois trailing by six with just ten minutes remaining. Screeney slotted over a free, while Dan Ravenhill and Cathal Robinson raised white flags from play.

Laois struggled to get anything to stick up front, with the Offaly backline showing their strength to come out with sliotar after sliotar. Offaly kept the scoreboard ticking over down the opposite end of the field, with Screeney and Shane Rigney raising more white flags for them.

Offaly ran out more than deserving winners in the end, with eight points the margin in the end. Deegan landed Laois’ last score from a placed ball, as the O’Moore County will need to pick themselves up quickly from this defeat and focus on the All-Ireland series that still lies ahead.

LAOIS

Scorers: Ben Deegan 0-10 (0-7 frees, 0-1 sideline), Jer Quinlan 0-1, Jack Breen 0-1, Cormac Byrne 0-1

Team: Brochan O'Reilly (Portlaoise); Bobby Murphy (The Harps), Ciaran Flynn (The Harps), Joe Pearson (Clough-Ballacolla); Thomas Brennan (Clough-Ballacolla), Tom Cuddy (Camross), Cormac Hogan (Clough-Ballacolla); Andrew McDonagh (Ballinakill), Kevin Byrne (Camross); Ben Deegan (Camross), Liam Kirby (The Harps), Jack Breen (Castletown); Eoghan Cuddy (Camross), Jer Quinlan (C) (Borris-Kilcotton), Cormac Byrne (Abbeyleix). Subs: Aaron Carroll (Camross) for Kirby (36 mins), Eoghan Murphy (The Harps) for McDonagh (36 mins), Rory Kelly (Castletown) for E Cuddy (50 mins), Justin Duggan (The Harps) for Breen (59 mins)

OFFALY

Scorers: Adam Screeney 0-10 (0-9 frees), Dan Ravenhill 0-4, Ter Guinan 0-1, Cillian Martin 0-1, Donal Shirley 0-1, Shane Rigney 0-2, Cathal Robinson 0-1, Conor Doyle 0-1

Team: Liam Hoare; Caelum Larkin, James Mahon, Ruairi Kelly; Donal Shirley, Brecon Kavanagh, Ter Guinan; Leigh Kavanagh, Cillian Martin; Shane Rigney, Dan Ravenhill (C), Conor Doyle; Cathal Robinson, Niall Furlong, Adam Screeney. Subs: Paddy Dooley for Guinan (29 mins, blood), Guinan for Dooley (HT), Shane Connolly for Martin (59 mins), James Rigney for Doyle (60 mins), 

REFEREE: Caymon Flynn (Westmeath)