Gaelic Games

Galway hurlers enjoy comfortable 22-point victory in Laois

There was only six points between the sides at the break before Galway stepped it up

Galway’s Conor Whelan scores a goal against Laois on Saturday afternoon. Photograph: Evan Treacy/Inpho

Sat May 14 2022 - 19:34

Galway 2-37 Laois 0-21

Galway had 14 different scorers as they comfortably got the better of Laois in O’Moore Park to maintain their unbeaten start in the Leinster hurling championship.

There were only six points between the sides at the break but Galway piled on the pressure in the second half and goals from Joseph Cooney and Conor Whelan propelled them to a 22-point victory.

Whelan with 0-8, Cathal Mannion with 0-7 and Tom Monaghan with 0-6 were all very much to the fore too.

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On a lovely evening in ideal conditions, Laois opened the scoring with a nice point from play but despite bringing Fiachra C-Fennell back as a sweeper, Galway were utterly dominant in the opening 10 minutes.

They hit nine points from play in as many minutes to be 0-9 to 0-1 up and it was looking bad for the home side as they struggled to get to the pace of the game.

But Laois withstood that onslaught and hit the next four themselves, two from Cha Dwyer and two from Paddy Purcell.

Cathal Mannion - who hit 0-5 in the opening half - got his third in response for Galway but a Ross King free and another effort from O’Dwyer from play had Laois back within three by the midway stage of the half.

Mannion and King went on to trade scores and Laois goalkeeper Enda Rowland pointed a long-range free but with Conor Cooney (frees), corner-back Jack Grealish and Joseph Cooney pointing, Galway had a six-point lead again late in the half.

James Keyes hit two in a row for Laois but Galway closed out the half with points from Brian Concannon and Monaghan to lead 0-18 to 0-12 at the break.

Galway got the first four points of the second half to put distance between the sides and though Laois battled valiantly and got some fine scores from Sean Downey, James Keyes, King, PJ Scully and debutant Mossy Keyes off the bench, Galway were never likely to be reeled in.

Joseph Cooney got their first goal in 50th minute and Whelan got their second with 10 minutes to play to send the large Galway support home happy.

For Laois, Westmeath come to O’Moore Park next Saturday when the loser will drop to the Joe McDonagh Cup in 2023.

GALWAY: Eanna Murphy (0-1); Jack Grealish (0-1), Daithi Burke, Padraic Mannion (0-2); Darren Morrissey (0-2), Gearoid McInerney, Fintan Burke (0-1); Cathal Mannion (0-7), David Burke; Joseph Cooney (1-2), Conor Cooney (0-8, five frees), Tom Monaghan (0-6); Cianan Fahy (0-2), Conor Whelan (1-2), Brian Concannon (0-1).

Subs: Ronan Glennon for David Burke (51 mins), TJ Brennan for Daithi Burke (57), Evan Niland (0-1 free) for Cooney (58), Johnny Coen for Morrissey (64), Jason Flynn (0-1) for Whelan (65).

LAOIS: Enda Rowland (0-1 free); Padraic Dunne, Sean Downey (0-1), Donnachadh Hartnett; Ryan Mullaney, Ciaran McEvoy, Jack Kelly (0-1); Aidan Corby, Paddy Purcell (0-3); Fiachra C Fennell, James Keyes (0-3), Cha Dwyer (0-3); Ben Conroy, Ross King (0-6, five frees), Mark Dowling.

Subs: PJ Scully (0-2) for Dowling (17 mins), Ciaran Byrne for Dwyer (33), Eric Killeen for Mullaney (54), Tomas Keyes (0-1) for Conroy (58), Frank Flanagan for McEvoy (69).

Referee: Sean Cleere (Kilkenny)

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