Sport

Kilkenny maintain unbeaten run

Div One A/Kilkenny... 1-17 Laois..

Mon Mar 17 2003 - 00:00

Div One A/Kilkenny ... 1-17 Laois ... 1-8: Reigning All-Ireland champions and league champions Kilkenny maintained their unbeaten record as they came from behind to see off Laois at Portlaoise yesterday.

Kilkenny, short several first-choice players, opened the scoring within 30 seconds with a Brian Dowling point. But Laois were level two minutes later with a James Young point from a free. All Star full forward Martin Comerford added two points for Kilkenny in as many minutes before Young got his second point after nine minutes.

Two minutes later Brian McCormack took advantage of a defensive mix-up to score a brilliant Laois goal. Points from David Cuddy and Joe Phelan put Laois ahead 1-5 to 0-4 at the end of the quarter.

Kilkenny landed three points in quick succession from Martin Comerford, John Hoyne and Jimmy Coogan but Laois responded with a great point from Liam Tynan. Coogan's point on the stroke of half-time left the visitors trailing 0-8 to 1-6.

READ MORE

On the changeover Kilkenny with wind advantage went further behind when Brian McCormack scored a great point after 37 minutes. But in as many minutes Coogan had two great Kilkenny points to level the game. The introduction of substitutes Stephen Grehan and Eddie Brennan yielded a well-taken Kilkenny goal 15 minutes into the half. Once ahead Kilkenny were the dominant force. All Star Charlie Carter, who replaced Alan Geoghegan, scored a point with his first touch. Another substitute, Brian McEvoy, also scored on his arrival and Coogan sent over three great points to complete a great game for him.

KILKENNY: J McGarry; M Kavanagh, N Hickey, P Larkin; R Mullally, P Barry, JJ Delaney; P Tennyson, T Walsh; D Mackey (0-1), J Hoyne (0-1), A Geoghegan; B Dowling (0-1), M Comerford (0-3), J Coogan (0-9). Subs: B McEvoy (0-1) for B Dowling, S Grehan (1-0) for J Hoyne, E Brennan for D Mackey, C Carter (0-1) for A Geoghegan.

LAOIS: J Lyons; L Mahon, Packie Cuddy, P Mahon; C Cuddy, Paul Cuddy, M McEvoy; J Young (0-2), D Rooney; J Phelan (0-1), L Tynan (0-1), E Meagher; B McCormack (1-1), D Cuddy (0-3), T Fitzgerald. Subs: P Mahon for T Fitzgerald, M Rooney for D Rooney, D Culleton for B McCormack, J Fitzpatrick for E Meagher.

Referee: T McIntyre (Antrim).