Laois have a qualified success

Laois 2-16 Tipperary 0-11:LAOIS FOOTBALLERS won their first qualifying game since their defeat of Longford three years ago but it will take further improvement if they are to record their first back to back qualifier success since they beat then All-Ireland champions Tyrone and Meath five years ago.

An attendance of less than 2,000 turned out at Portlaoise in excellent conditions to view two sides that had suffered heavy defeats at the hands of the two league finalists, Cork and Dublin.

MJ Tierney marked his return by posting a brace of well-taken points with his trusted left foot in contrast to his Twitter fall out following the decision to leave him on the bench in Croke Park.

Laois needed these early scores to settle and although Tipperary had ended their ambitions last year this never looked like being repeated.

Darren Strong and Ross Munnelly extended the Laois advantage before points by Barry Grogan and George Hannigan signalled a Tipperary comeback.

But when Laois were threatened they hit back and five minutes before the break a good passing movement was finished past the visiting goalkeeper by Strong and at the interval Justin McNulty’s charges led 1-7 to 0-4.

Laois introduced Denis Booth at the interval for Peter O’Leary but the introduction of Portlaoise club man Kieran Lillis proved to be a trump card. After Laois kicked four early points, Lillis gave Laois total domination around midfield and although Tipperary were always competitive the result was never in doubt.

Laois finished with style and when Colm Begley blasted home goal number two they sealed a Round Two place against Kildare.

LAOIS: E Culleton; C Healy, K Meaney, P O’Leary; D Strong (1-2), S Julian, P McMahon; P Clancy, B Quigley; C Begley (1-1), J O’Loughlin (0-2), N Donoher; R Munnelly (0-3), D Kingston (0-3, 0-2 frees), MJ Tierney (0-5, 0-1 free, 0-3 45s). Subs: D Booth for O’Leary (half-time), K Lillis for Clancy (44 mins), G Kavanagh for Donoher (45 mins), D Carroll for Kingston (63 mins).

TIPPERARY: P Fitzgerald; C McGrath, C McDonald, A Morrissey; C Aylward, L Egan, C Dillon; G Hannigan (0-1), S Grogan (0-1); H Coghlan (0-1), B Fox, J Cagney (0-1); B Mulvihill (0-2), P Austin, B Grogan (0-5, 0-4 frees). Subs: S Carey for McGrath, B Coen for Cagney (both half-time), N Curran for Mulvihill (54 mins), R Kiely for Aylward (64 mins), S Mahessy for Coghlan (67 mins).

Referee: M Condon (Waterford).