By Cóilín Duffy

Laois 0-20
Carlow 0-13

Teddy McCarthy's Championship reign as Laois Senior hurling manager got off to a powerful start as Laois never looked troubled in their seven-point win over Carlow in the Leinster SHC at Dr. Cullen Park on Saturday evening.

2,500 spectators watched on as Willie Hyland gave an exhibition of point-scoring, with the Clough-Ballacolla clubman firing 13 points in a game where Laois led from start to finish.

This game was entertaining in nature, with both sides finishing with 14 men following second yellow cards for midfielders James Walsh and Jack Kavanagh with less than 15 minutes on the clock.

Laois fired out all cylinders in the opening quarter and powered to a 0-06 to 0-02 lead after 14 minutes, with Willie Hyland and Stephen Maher very much to the fore.

The Clough-Ballacolla duo claimed all of the O'Moore County's opening six scores, with Hyland registering five of those points.

Laois were dominant in all sectors at this stage, with Carlow struggling for possession.

Two players who battled hard for the hosts were St. Mullins brothers Jack and Marty Kavanagh, with the former registering Carlow's opening point in the third minute.

Carlow had to wait nine minutes for their next score with Marty on target from a placed ball.

A second pointed free from Marty Kavanagh cut the gap to three points in the 17th minute, but Laois continued to look strong at the start of the second quarter.

Teddy McCarthy's side outscored their opponents by four points to one over the next seven minutes, with Hyland and Maher continuing to impress.

Laois goalkeeper Eoin Reilly and Brian Dunne were also strongly involved in pushing Laois into an 0-11 to 0-04 lead after 25 minutes.

A succession of wides followed from the visitors, following good pressure from the Carlow defence, but Laois upped their game once again.

The O'Moore's moved eight points clear, after Reilly slotted over a second free with six and a half minutes to go before the break.

However, Carlow finished the opening have strongly with three unanswered points before the break with Marty and Shane Kavanagh on target to cut the deficit to five points at the break on a 0-12 to 0-07 score-line.

The sides traded points on two occasions inside five minutes of the restart, but Laois once again pulled away from anything Carlow threw at them.

Laois midfielder James Walsh picked up the fourth yellow card of the contest in the 42nd minute after he swung his hurl around Carlow's Jack Kavanagh.

However, Shane Kavanagh failed to cut the deficit to four points after the Carlow joint captain sent the resulting free wide of the posts.

Carlow were handed a life-line when corner-back Gearoid Burke brought Mark Brennan down in the square in the 46th minute.

However, once again the hosts failed to capitalise on this opportunity with Frank Foley's powerful strike expertly save by Reilly.
 
The Abbeyleix clubman was central to a strong defensive display by the O'Moore's throughout this contest and again showed his worth pulling off a one-handed save towards the end of the third quarter.

Hyland continuing to punish Carlow at the opposite end with double scores between the sides on an 0-18 to 0-09 score-line with 17 minutes left on the clock.

Andrew Gaule cut the deficit to eight points with his second score in the 55th minute, before both sides were reduced to 14 men.

Laois midfielder Walsh and his Carlow counterpart Jack Kavanagh both shown their second yellow cards following an off the ball incident.

Carlow battled bravely late on with Marty Kavanagh keeping them in touch from placed balls, but Laois stood firm to book a quarter-final berth against Dublin.

Laois - E Reilly (0-02, 2f); C Coonan, D Maher, G Burke; C Dunne, M Whelan, M McEvoy; J Walsh (0-01), S Hanlon; S Maher (0-03), B Dunne (0-01), W Hyland (0-13, 6f); T Fitzgerald, N Foyle, D O'Mahoney. Subs: P Mullaney for D Maher (Blood 44-45); C Murray for O'Mahoney (49); B Reddin for Hanlon (66)

Carlow - F Foley; A Corcoran, E Nolan, E Coady; J Corcoran, S Kavanagh (0-02, 1f, 1 65'), R Coady; J Kavanagh (0-01), A Gaule (0-02); E Byrne, J Kane, C Doyle; M Kavanagh (0-07, 7f), M Brennan, D Roberts (0-01). Subs: R Smithers for Kane (HT); M Clowry for Doyle (55); A McDonald for Roberts (58); HP O'Byrne for Gaule (68).

Ref - Alan Kelly (Galway) Tweet

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