Laois need to take control at midfield

Laois V Louth, Tomorrow, throw-in – 3.30pm Parnell Park, Dublin

LOUTH’S LONG and laboured win over Carlow in the lashing rain of Parnell Park already seems like a season ago, but it should leave them in good health for the task of taking on a fairly unpredictable looking Laois team.

Manager Eamonn McEneaney has announced the same team from the Carlow game, partly because no player particularly stood in or out that day.

The experienced Aaron Hoey still misses out with a hamstring problem, but there is plenty of scoring potential nonetheless – most notably in Shane Lennon and Darren Clarke.

Laois ultimately raised more questions than they answered in the run through Division Two of the league, and in the end avoided relegation by one place.

Rory Stapleton and Ger Reddin are the two debutants, but Seán Dempsey has called on plenty of familiar faces elsewhere, with Michael John Tierney and Ross Munnelly joined in the full forward line by the well-flagged talents of Donie Kingston.

They have a big midfield as well in Kevin Meaney and Pádraig Clancy, with Brendan Quigley moving to wing forward, and that’s ultimately where they should out-master Louth and progress to the semi-final showdown against either Kildare or Wexford.

LAOIS:M Nolan; C Ryan, M Timmons, R Stapleton; D Rooney, G Reddin, J O'Loughlin; P Clancy, K Meaney; B Quigley, B McCormack, P O'Leary; MJ Tierney, R Munnelly, D Kingston.

LOUTH:S Reynolds; P Rath, D Finnegan, J O'Brien; D Crilly, M Fanning, G Hoey; B White, P Keenan; R Finnegan, R Carroll, D Reid; C Judge, S Lennon, D Clarke.

Referee:M Duffy (Sligo).