O'BYRNE SHIELD FINAL: Laois 1-15 Wexford 1-6:JUSTIN McNULTY fielded a new-look Laois side but they still proved the dominant force as they overwhelmed Wexford at Wexford Park yesterday.
Ben Brosnan may have pointed a free inside the opening minute but it was the only time in the game Wexford led. Having moved the ball out of midfield quickly Paul Cahillane pulled a great shot across goalkeeper Anthony Masterson into the opposite corner of the net.
Laois looked the sharper outfit, playing the game at pace and with points from Colm Boyle and David Conway led 1-4 to 0-2 after 15 minutes. After Pádraig Clancy (free), and Brosnan exchanged points, two further Conway points extended the Laois lead to 1-7 to 0-3 after 30 minutes.
Two minutes later a mistake in the Laois defence, when they failed to clear a Brosnan free, allowed Paddy Byrne to palm to the net. Laois finished the half with points from Peter O’Leary and Damien O’Connor to lead 1-9 to 1-3.
Laois wing-forward Damien O’Connor extended his side’s lead five minutes into the second half and when wing-back Darren Strong stormed forward to kick a fine point, the visitors were in command at 1-11 to 1-3.Laois were controlling midfield and they kicked three points in a row through Ross Munnelly (free), John O’Loughlin and Damien O’Connor and ran out comfortable winners.
WEXFORD: A Masterson; T Hayden, G Molloy, A Doyle; D Murphy, B Malone, A Flynn; D Waters, R Quinlivan; S Roche, B Brosnan (0-5, 0-3 frees), E Bradley; K O'Grady, J Holmes, P Byrne (1-0). Subs: R Barry for O'Grady; B Mulligan for Hayden; P Kelly for Roche; A Shore for Waters; C Lyng (0-1) for Bradley.
LAOIS: E Culleton; C Healy, K Lillis, P O'Leary (0-1); D Strong (0-1), S Julian, C Boyle (0-1); J O'Loughlin (0-1), B Quigley; R Munnelly (0-1, free), K Meaney, D O'Connor (0-2); P Cahillane (1-0), P Clancy (0-1 free), D Conway (0-6, 0-3 frees). Subs: C Begley for Quigley; C Kelly for Cahillane; B Mulligan for Boyle; M J Tierney for Conway; S O'Leary (0-1) for O'Connor.
Referee: F Barry (Kildare).
