Tipperary prove too much for brave Laois in All-Ireland quarter-final

The Laois hurlers bowed of the Championship this afternoon at the quarter-final stage in Croke Park, Liam Sheedy's Tipperary side proving a bridge too far for Eddie Brennan's charges as they ran out ten point victors to advance to the All-Ireland semi-finals.

Laois 2 - 25

Tipperary 1 - 18

All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Quarter-Final  

*In association with Copper Face Jacks

Eddie Brennan's Laois side put it up to Tipperary for large parts of the game, going in just four points down at the interval. Tipperary fired two goals in the opening quarter of the game through a Jason Forde penalty and a second from Seamus Callanan, but Laois kept in the reckoning with a Ross King goal right before the break.

Laois' chances were dented four minutes after the restart when Aaron Dunphy received his marching order for an off the ball incident with Paudie Maher, but despite their numerical disadvantage Laois gave nothing easy to the beaten Munster finalists.

While this may be the end of the road for this Laois team for this year, they have still inspired an entire generation of young hurlers and risen the profile of Laois hurling on the national stage. The 2019 Joe McDonagh Cup champions can still look forward to Leinster Championship hurling for next year. 

Laois posted to the board first with Mark Kavanagh converting a placed ball from 45 metres out to give the Laois men an ideal start. Tipperary replied instantly with a free of their own through Jason Forde after Seamus Callanan was fouled, but Laois retook the lead a minute later with Aaron Dunphy splitting the uprights.

Ger Browne levelled proceedings for Liam Sheedy's side, but hit the next two through an inspiring point from distance from Willie Dunphy and a second from Mark Kavanagh (free) to edge Laois back into the lead.

Seamus Callanan shrugged off the attentions of Ryan Mullaney to slot his first of the day, and then Tipperary dealt Laois a hammer blow with eleven minutes on the clock as Tipperary were awarded a penalty after Forde was hauled down. The Silvermines forward stepped-up to rifle the resulting penalty into the top-left corner. 

Kavanagh kept Laois in touch with a free from out the field, but Tipperary got back on top once again with a point from corner-back Alan Flynn quickly followed by their second goal of the game. Seamus Callanan's low and hard effort beating Enda Rowland at the near post as Tipp began to stretch their legs.

John Lennon sent over a rousing score from long range, but Forde hit back from a free. Another long range point followed from Jack Kelly to get the Laois crowd going.

Seamus Callanan brought his tally to 1-2 for the half, and Tipperary almost got in for two goals one after the other - Rowland pulling off a great save to deny John McGrath, and then John Lennon cleared the Laois line a minute later as Callanan looked for his second.

Points followed for Tipperary through a Forde brace before Laois posted to the scoreboard again through Kavanagh and Aaron Dunphy. Forde hit his fifth point of the half after 33 minutes, but then Laois grabbed a crucial lifeline before the break when Ross King sent a bullet past Brian Hogan to close the gap to four points.

The sides closed out the half with Kavanagh and Noel McGrath trading points to send Tipperary in four points ahead on a scoreline of 2-11 to 1-10.

Forde brought his tally to 1-6 with a point twenty seconds after the restart, and then Laois' hopes were dealt a major blow when Aaron Dunphy received his marching orders for an off the ball incident with Paudie Maher 39 minutes in.

Forde and Paudie Maher extended the Tipperary lead before Kavanagh reopened the Laois account from a free. The resulting Tipperary puck-out went straight to Jack Kelly and the Rathdowney-Errill man returned the sliotar straight over the opposition crossbar.

Forde and Kavanagh exchanged points, but Tipperary took a hold from here with Noel McGrath, Forde and John McGrath lifting white flags. 

Laois kept plugging away in the final fifteen minutes with Kavanagh (4) and Paddy Purcell posting points for Eddie Brennan's side, but Tipperary pulled ten points clear by the final whistle to book their place in the All-Ireland semi-final.

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*See Tuesday's Leinster Express Sport for full coverage

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LAOIS

Scorers: Mark Kavanagh 0-11 (frees), Ross King 1-0, Jack Kelly and Aaron Dunphy 0-2 each, Willie Dunphy, Paddy Purcell and John Lennon 0-1 each.

Team: Enda Rowland (St Lazerian’s Abbeyleix); Lee Cleere (Clough-Ballacolla), Matthew Whelan (Borris-Kilcotton), Joe Phelan (Camross); Jack Kelly (Rathdowney-Errill) Ryan Mullaney (Castletown), Padraig Delaney (The Harps); John Lennon (Rosenallis), Paddy Purcell (Rathdowney-Errill); Aaron Dunphy (Borris-Kilcotton), Mark Kavanagh (Rathdowney-Errill), Eanna Lyons (Ballyfin); Willie Dunphy (Clough-Ballacolla), Cha Dwyer (Ballinakill), Ross King (Rathdowney-Errill). Subs: Eric Killeen for Phelan (HT), Stephen Maher for Dwyer (43 mins), Conor Phelan for Lyons (57 mins), Stephen Bergin for W Dunphy (59 mins), Eoin Gaughan for Lennon (66 mins).

TIPPERARY

Scorers: Jason Forde 1-12 (1-0 pen, 0-9 frees, 0-1 65) Seamus Callinan 1-2, Noel McGrath 0-3, Ronan Maher and Ger Browne 0-2 each, Barry Heffernan, Paudie Maher, Alan Flynn and John McGrath 0-1 each.

Team: Brian Hogan; Cathal Bennett, James Barry, Alan Flynn; Brendan Maher, Padraig Maher, Ronan Maher; Noel McGrath, Ger Browne; Dan McCormack, John O'Dwyer, Niall O'Meara; Jason Forde, Seamus Callanan, John McGrath. Subs: Michael Breen for Flynn (47 mins), Mark Kehoe for O’Dwyer (53 mins), Jerome Cahill for Browne (56 mins), Barry Heffernan for Barry (61 mins), Jake Morris for O’Meara (68 mins).
 

REFEREE: Colm Lyons (Cork)