Cummins helps Galway progress

Galway 4-24 Laois 2-17 (AET):GALWAY required extra-time to see off a gutsy challenge from Laois at Rathdowney.

Willie Hyland’s early point set the tone for Laois who led 0-6 to 0-3 after the opening quarter.

Eoin Costelloe set up John Rowney for a well-taken goal and Laois led 1-11 to 0-7 at the interval.

John McIntyre had angry words for his charges and they responded with eight unanswered points to lead for the first time.

Points by John Brophy and sub John Purcell regained the lead for Laois but Ger Farragher’s free sent the game to extra-time. Farragher converted a penalty and and last year’s winning minor captain Richie Cummins rammed home a brace of goals with full forward Joe Gantley adding a fourth to end Laois’s hopes of an upset.

GALWAY: C Callanan; D Joyce, S Kavanagh, F Moore; A Coen, T Óg Regan, D Barry (0-1); G Farragher (1-9), N Cahalane (0-4); A Callanan (0-2), K Hynes, N Hayes; Aiden Harte (0-3), J Gantley (1-1), R Murray. Subs: P Holland for F Moore (inj 20 mins). E Ryan for R Murray (40 mins), R Cummins (2-2)for N Hynes,T Mannion for G Farragher (77 mins), C Donnellan (0-2)for N Hayes (60).

LAOIS: P Mullaney; J Delaney, D Maher, B Stapleton; M Whelan (0-1), B Campion (0-2), JJ McHugh; C Delaney, M McEvoy; J Brophy (0-3), E Jackman, W Hyland (1-8); E Costelloe, J Rowney (1-1), D Peacock; Subs: J Dunne (0-1)for E Jackman (75 mins), P Carroll for P Mullaney (80 mins), A Collier for McHugh (75 mins), J Purcell (0-1)for Peacock (65), C Dunne for Stapleton (64).

Referee: D Connolly(Kilkenny).