Rossies put to the Sword

All-Ireland MFC quarter-final

Laois 1-13 Roscommon 1-11

IF this Laois minor team goes all the way the game against Roscommon will be but a mere flash in the memory banks.
It was a simple contest in many ways. Roscommon were good, Laois were better. No more, no less. And most definitely no reason to start pre-emptive celebrations.
But for the second successive game the O’Moores looked home and dry only to blow a sizeable lead. This failure to secure and consolidate behind their dominance almost led to disaster.
The Connacht side were never going to catch Laois in truth but there is an apparent malaise within these young men’s psyches which will one day cause them great pain.
Last season several of them felt the brunt of a hard loss when Meath hit a late sucker punch to knock them out of the championship despite cruising for most of the game. In the Leinster final against Carlow they escaped defeat purely because the Barrowsiders couldn’t put away their chances.
On Saturday in Thurles they once again stood in a position of absolute authority only to give away 1-2 without reply and be forced to withstand an onslaught.
It’s a lesson the under 21s learned at the same grounds when they failed to kill off an opponent and unless a ruthlessness, heretofore unseen from this latest crop, envelopes the minor’s style they will follow the same route.
Otherwise this side seem to have all the answers. There have been three consistent scorers in the forwards all year with Donie Kingston, Brian Smith and Conor Meredith combining to hit 9-54 in this year’s championship.
At midfield John O’Loughin continues to reign supreme while the half-back line of Kieran Lillis, Conor Boyle and Zach Tuohy have been fine tuned into an potent and adaptable unit since the first Dublin game.
Then there’s the socalled fringe players Robbie Kehoe, James Doyle and Joe Mulhare who have improved with every game and can be called upon if things go wrong in other areas.
However, and this is strange so bear with me, they look so effective it could be their downfall. Cockiness, completely normal in 17 and 18 year old lads, has caused losses in concentration at vital times.
Passes stop going to hand, 50-50 balls are lost and opposition scores eat away at their lead. It’s an Achilles heel and unless addressed by Eddie Kelly and his management team, like all weaknesses, it will one day prove fatal.
Take this away and they’ll be hard pushed. Indeed their movement in the opening minute was sublime. Eddie Kelly created the space from a breaking ball to set Brian Smith in on goal but his shot was excellently stopped by Darren O’Malley.
The chance sparked Roscommon into life and the wily Alan O’Hara hit the opener, quickly followed by a Darren McDermott free.
Kingston and an awesome effort by Kieran Lillis replied for Laois but the Rossies, who were moving excellently in the forward line, continued to exploit space when Colm O’Neill pointed.
Meredith’s free levelled the sides again and without warning the youngsters shifted up a gear. The forwards put massive pressure on the Roscommon defence with hungry tackling and John O’Loughlin became the lord and master of the midfield. Donie Kingston moved in on top of the edge of the square for a few bombs and Roscommon started to feel the pressure.
Only O’Hara kept their momentum going with a fine point but it should have been advantage Laois when a Se·n Ramsbottom shot appeared to be caught behind the Roscommon line. One umpire raised his hand but the referee missed the action and played on. When his attention was caught three minutes late Michael McCann was forced to ignore the issue.
Laois could have wallowed in self pity but the side rallied. Meredith and O’Loughlin put them in the lead for the first time, Kevin Brady responded but a Zach Tuohy 45 pushed the O’Moores clear once again.
Only the brilliance of O’Hara ensured the sides went in level at the break on a 0-6 to 0-6 score line but it was clear the Rossies couldn’t hold out for much longer.
When Conor Boyle made three inspiring blocks to stop certain goals at the start of the second half Laois struck a psychological blow. Donal Shine hit a 55-metre free but when the lofty Roscommon attacker went off injured minutes later his side’s heads dropped.
O’Loughlin was on fire in midfield and scores by him and Kingston established a lead. O’Hara managed a riposte but Laois were swarming all over the reigning all-Ireland champions.
Damien Lowry and Kingston made it a three-point game before a long searching Conor Meredith pass found the Barrowhouse man and he rattled the ball to the net for his first championship goal since the Kilkenny game in the first round. Game over… or so we thought.

Tuohy hit another 45 before Darren McDermott revitalised the Connacht side with two frees. From masters of the attacking game, Laois became serfs of a poor defensive blockade.

Darragh Lennon hit another point and, with a minute of normal time to go, Leon O’Connor fired home a penalty.

When an announcement was made for four minutes injury time the Rossie support stood on their feet and an upset looked possible. Fortunately they couldn’t make the vital breakthrough and Laois claimed the all-Ireland semi-final spot.

Interestingly though you can’t help wondering how long this team can survive against comebacks. Training should be fiery in the coming weeks.


Scorers - Laois: D. Kingston 1-4 (2f), C. Meredith 0-3 (2f), J. O’Loughlin 0-2, Zach Tuohy 0-2 (2 45s), Kieran Lillis, Damien Lowry 0-1 each.
Roscommon: Alan O’Hora 0-4, Leon O’Connor 1-0, (1 pen), Darren McDermott 0-3 (3f), Colm O’Neill, Darragh Lennon and Kevin Brady 0-1 each, Donal Shine 0-1 (1f).
LAOIS: Conor O’Shea; Robbie Kehoe, Joe Mulhare, Joe O’Connor; Kieran Lillis, Conor Boyle, Zach Tuohy; Damien Lowry, John O’Loughlin; Se·n Ramsbottom, Donie Kingston, Brian Smith; James Doyle, Conor Meredith, Eddie Kelly. Subs: Ciar·n Farrell for Smith (53mins), Brian Seale for O’Connor (57mins), Brian Glynn for Lowry (59mins).
ROSCOMMON: Darren O’Malley; Jack Sharkey, Neil Collins, Paul O’Grady; Niall Carty, James McKeague, Eamon Bannon; Colm O’Neill, Kevin Higgins; Paul Garvey, Donal Shine, Kevin Brady; Alan O’Hora, Kevin Cummins, Darren McDermott. Subs: Alan Duffy for Shine (37mins, inj), Niall Brogan for Brady (41mins), Darragh Lennon for Bannon (46mins), Leon O’Connor for Cummins (56mins).
REF: Michael McGann (Clare)

By: Terry Reilly
Laois Nationalist