Laois 1-14

Wicklow 1-13

Laois came from four points down early in the second half to squeeze out Wicklow at O'Moore Park and keep alive their Leinster U20FC hopes.

Billy O'Loughlin's side will have to beat Meath in the third round if they're to progress from the group.   

Favoured by the wind in the first half, the hosts opened up an early 0-3 to 0-0 lead thanks to points form Peter Kealy, Evan Lowry and James Kelly. But Wicklow then took control with five unanswered points from Gearoid Murphy (three), Robert Kelly and Adam McHugh. Alan Kinsella and Dan Kelly traded scores before Laois levelled through Lowry and impressive full forward Diarmuid Whelan.

The sides exchanged further scores before efforts from Thomas Kearns and Matthew Kelly saw the Garden County take a slender 0-10 to 0-9 advantage into the break.

A pair of Whelan frees had Laois ahead early in the second half, but a goal from Wicklow skipper Conor Byrne and two Murphy points left the hosts trailing by four with 20 minutes remaining.

However, the O'Moore County were level within five minutes thanks to points from Whelan and Lowry, and a goal from the former. Whelan and Thomas Kearns traded scores before the Laois full forward won it in injury-time to finish with 1-7 for the afternoon. 

Laois - M Byron; J O'Connor, D Bennett, R Hitchcock; Conor Brennan, S Bolger, S O'Flynn; R Tyrrell, E Dunne; J Kelly (0-1f), P Kealy (0-2), J Phelan; A Kinsella (0-1), D Whelan (1-7, 0-4f), E Lowry (0-3). Subs: D Brophy for J O'Connor, J Fitzpatrick for A Kinsella, P Kirwan for R Tyrrell, Caomhan Brennan for J Phelan.

Wicklow - T McGurk; J Cotter, C O'Gallchobhair, A Curran; F O'Shea (0-1), J McCall, T Kearns (0-2); P O'Toole, C Coffey; R Kelly (0-1), G Murphy (0-5, 2f), J Bellamy; A McHugh (0-2), D Kelly (0-1), C Byrne (1-0). Subs: M Kelly (0-1) for R Kelly, K Mulhall for C Coffey, S Gregory for A McHugh, C Kelleher for R Kelly, J Hedderman for M Kelly.

Referee - D Sheppard.

Tweet

Most Read Stories