Gaelic Games

Kingston hat-trick eases the path for Laois

Westmeath challenge unravels during the second half at Tullamore

Paul Kingston: celebrates one of his three goals against Westmeath at Tullamore. Photograph: Laszlo Geczo/Inpho

Mon May 28 2018 - 07:15

Laois 4-13 Westmeath 1-12

Laois progressed to the Leinster semi-final with a resounding victory over Westmeath at Tullamore on Saturday evening.

Westmeath, despite starting promisingly, looked in real trouble at the break, trailing 0-10 to 0-6, with John Connellan already black-carded and the lively Luke Loughlin ploughing a lone furrow up front.

Laois had taken the lead for the first time when substitute Niall Donoher pointed in the 33rd minute and they finished the first half in blistering fashion with a further three unanswered points from Ross Munnelly, Colm Begley and Trevor Collins.

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The Laois goal that had been threatening finally arrived 11 minutes into the second half when Paul Kingston finished clinically to the net. He notched his second four minutes later with Westmeath full back Sam Duncan unable to keep the ball out.

In the 57th minute, Laois's Benny O'Carroll was disallowed a goal at one end before Westmeath countered and Mark McCallon found the net after a goalmouth scramble involving Kieran Martin.

Laois never panicked and dismantled a porous Westmeath defence two minutes later as Kingston fired home his third goal.

That ended any chance of a Westmeath recovery and Laois substitute Evan O’Connor notched 1-1 in the space of a minute to kill this tie off.

John Heslin, unable to start due to a hip injury, missed a goal chance for a dejected Westmeath side (who were short eight of last year’s side) in the 66th minute.

LAOIS: G Brody; S Attride, M Timmons, G Dillon; T Collins (0-1), C Begley (0-1), F Crowley; J O'Loughlin, K Lillis; A Farrell (0-1), P Kingston (3-2), D O'Connor; R Munnelly (0-3, three frees), D Kingston (0-1, free), B Carroll. Subs: N Donoher (0-2) for Farrell (22 mins), E O'Carroll (1-1) for Carroll (59 mins), D Strong for O'Connor (59 mins), D Conway for Munnelly (63 mins), G Walsh (0-1) for D Kingston (67 mins), D Booth for Attride (70+5 mins).

Yellow card: G Brody

WESTMEATH: S Gallagher; M McCallon (1-0), S Duncan, J Gonoud; J Egan, A Stone, N Mulligan; D Corroon, D Daly; K Martin (0-1), C McCormack, G Egan (0-3, one free); L Loughlin (0-4, two frees), R O'Toole (0-1), J Connellan (0-1, free). Subs: F Coyne (0-2) for Connellan (BC, 30 mins), R Wallace for Daly (41 mins), A McGivney for J Egan (48 mins), J Heslin for O'Toole (55 mins), B Sayeh for McCallon (70 mins), D Whelan for Mulligan (70 mins). Yellow cards: M McCallon, S Duncan. Black card: J Connellan

Referee: P Hughes (Armagh).

Stats:

Laois

First half 0-10

Second half 4-3

Wides 6

From play 4-9

Frees conceded 12

Yellow cards 1

Red cards 0

Black cards 0

Westmeath

First half 0-6

Second half 1-6

Wides 9

From play 1-8

Frees conceded 12

Yellow cards 2

Red cards 0

Black cards 1

Attendance 6,186

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