Babs sanguine after Laois take a prize scalp

PERHAPS spring has come a little too early for Babs Keating.

His fast improving Laois side planted the flag at uncharted reaches of their vast potential at Thurles yesterday. With a league semi final lying ahead and a slain Kilkenny team left behind Babs can only be hoping that the big bandwagon of hype doesn't start rolling too soon.

Afterwards this most loquacious of managers refused to be too sanguine about his side's prospects. "Was that a good as Laois would get? "I would like to think that we could be better," said Babs; "we have our hurling work still to do yet."

Babs faces into a fortnight of fuss about bringing his Laois team to face Tipperary in the semi final. One suspects he will be happy to get his charges out of the spotlight and focussed on the business of the summer championship ahead. Having run Kilkenny to within two points last summer, yesterday's benchmark of improvement is most encouraging if Laois can keep their heads down.

Yesterday they could point to superior fitness and a keener appetite as the twin platforms for their victory. Their half back line, pivoting around Joe Dollard, smothered Kilkenny in the middle third of the field and they took what chances fell their way around the square. There are still traces of naivete about their work, from over playing the ball to slicing a few frees harmlessly wide.

For Kilkenny, who just under 12 months ago took the league title with an extraordinary display against Clare, springtime continues to be an unreliable indicator of form. They had problems a plenty yesterday: Midfield didn't function, the full back line looked panicky under high balls, while the forwards lacked both physique and a reliable supply.

There are signs of decay and decline in several stars of the near past. Michael Phelan and Bill Hennessy seem to have lost something. John Power continues in the doldrums. Of the newer faces Canice Brennan looks tidy and honest, but not entirely convincing on the brink of a championship. Ditto Denis Byrne.

For Long periods yesterday, Kilkenny looked as if they didn't truly believe that they could lose to Laois. When finally they found the motivation to go looking for the game, they were rebuffed by confident foe.

Kilkenny had set off at a canter when after two minutes, Canice Brennan scooted in for an early point. Sixty seconds later however, they had a startling glimpse of their own frailties, when Declan Rooney sprinted 20 yards through a ravine in the defence and kicked an equalising point.

Not long afterwards, Fionan O'Sullivan took a 50-50 ball in front of John Costelloe and - virtually unchallenged - put Laois ahead, where they stayed until the final whistle.

Further symptoms of Kilkenny's infirmity became evident a couple of minutes later, when David Cuddy mis hit a point attempt from out on the right wing, leaving the ball to drop perilously in the small square. Pat Dwyer did what he could, but the ball skeetered into the path of Seamus Cuddy whose one handed pull was sufficient to guide the ball to the net.

Still, Kilkenny refused to appear alarmed. On the next attack, DJ Carey slithered through into a one on one situation with Laois goalie Ricky Cashin. Despite the unfavourable nature of the angle, Carey swung hugely, eschewing the point and looking for a goal. His shot hit the side netting and he came away looking like a man who assumed there would be plenty more chances like that one.

There weren't.

Seamus Cuddy had a chance for his second goal minutes later, but more encouraging for Laois was the manner in which they were spreading the play around. They have taken more than there inspiration from Clare's example. Yesterday they worked tremendously hard, backing each others up consistently, covering and grafting as well as using the width of the pitch to stretch Kilkenny.

Kilkenny, fretting perhaps about the prospect of being barbecued by Nicky Brennan at half time, roused themselves heading towards the break, with Denis Byrne DJ Carey and Pat O'Neill stringing points together.

Laois stood up to it all however and on 25 minutes another high ball, this one from Joe Dollard, landed on the edge of the small square. Costelloe and Kenna flailed at it. Seamus Cuddy wash on hand again to squeeze the ball through the tightest of angles for Laois's second goal.

That score put Laois seven points ahead and they could hardly have expected to get to the break without retribution. So it proved. Adrian Ronan had a point. DJ Carey flashed through, slipped the ball to Charlie Carter who netted. 2-5 to 1-5 for Laois at the break.

The second half was bursting with promise, but Kilkenny couldn't quite match the mood. Two early points suggested a jauntier stride, but on 10 minutes another high ball threatened their defence and PJ Cuddy this time kicked a shot against the body of Michael Walsh. Minutes later David Cuddy scored a sublime point with a 30 yard sideline cut and Laois truly began to believe they could mix it with the big boys.

In the closing stages, as Kilkenny continued to breathe down Laois necks and the 15,573 crowd sensed the first shock of knockout competition this year, it was PJ Cuddy and Joe Dollard and Niall Rigney who hung in there, hauling their side to victory. Cuddy had two crucial points in the closing stages and Dollard began cropping up all across his half back line.

It was a day when Laois hurling stood up for itself. As Niall Rigney commented afterwards: "We have gone home second best on lots of days. Now it's Kilkenny's turn."

Afterwards there was Babs and Tipperary to look forward to, but more particularly there was the sense of heightened expectation about what should be a tremendous championship summer.