Clare no barrier to Laois advancement

The second game in the double-header at Cusack Park on Saturday proved to be a one-sided affair like the opener. But on this occasion it was the Laois footballers who issued a drubbing to the home side. Clare’s veteran manager Mick O’Dwyer stepped down the aftermath of the defeat.

Justin McNulty’s men were clinical in brushing Clare aside with ease after they were slow to get off the mark in the opening 25 minutes. By this stage, they trailed by 0-6 to 0-2 but between the 27th minute and half-time, the O’Moore county scored 1-5 to no reply and to all intents and purposes overwhelmed O’Dwyer’s charges. Team captain John O’Loughlin grabbed his side’s first goal.

Over as a contest
Clare got their seventh score, a point by Graham Kelly on 25 minutes but didn't register anything else on the scoreboard until 18 minutes into the second half. By this stage this game was over as a contest, as Laois ran riot, leading by 2-12 to 0-7.

Corner-forward David Conway was in for a second Laois goal, three minutes after the restart as Clare appeared to be still reeling from the late first-half onslaught applied by the visitors.

Laois then picked off points at will, while Clare only had four second-half scores and only one came from play. Ross Munnelly topped off an impressive individual display, late in the game with a third goal.
LAOIS: E Culliton; P Begley, M Timmons, P O'Leary; D Strong (0-3), K Lillis (0-1), P McMahon; J O'Loughlin (1-1), P Clancy (0-1); B Sheehan, C Meredith (0-1), C Begley (0-2); R Munnelly (1-3, 0-2 frees), D Kingston (0-2, 0-1 free), D Conway (1-1). Subs: C Kelly for Kingston (46 mins), E Costello (0-1, free) for Kelly (inj, 52 mins), D Booth for P Begley (54 mins), C Boyle for Clancy (55 mins), T Sheil (0-1, free) for C Begley (56 mins).
CLARE: Joe Hayes; M McMahon, L Healy, Gordon Kelly; D Callinan, John Hayes, Graham Kelly (0-1); G Brennan, C O'Connor; S McGrath, I McInerney, A Clohessy; D Tubridy (0-6, 0-5 frees), G Quinlan, R Donnelly (0-2). Subs: C Dixon for Graham Kelly (half-time), C Dunning for Clohessy (half-time), S Ryan (0-1) for McGrath (49 mins), J Keane for O'Connor (58 mins), P McMahon for Brennan (63 mins).
Referee: C Lane (Cork).