Easy for Laois

Championship 2003 Leinster SHC: Laois 2-22 Wicklow 0-10: Recent winners of the Keogh Cup for the third year in succession Wicklow hurlers travelled to Portlaoise yesterday attempting to avenge their defeat by Laois in last year's championship

The home side laid the foundations for a comfortable victory with a succession of points from Brian McCormack, Joe Phelan, James Young and Robert Jones.

A Michael McEvoy goal after 12 minutes left just a goal between the sides but Laois went on to add another string of points and a second goal from Liam Tynan left Laois ahead by 2-11 to 0-6 at the interval.

With wind assistance, Laois added three quick points before John Keogh added Wicklow's seventh point.

Tynan added two in a row for Laois and although Wicklow never gave up they never looked like recording their first championship win over Laois who now face Carlow this Saturday.

LAOIS: J Lyons, L Mahon, P Cuddy, R Delaney, C Cuddy, P Cuddy (0-2), M McEvoy (1-0), J Young (0-7), R Jones (0-2), J Phelan (0-2), P Mahon (0-1), E Meagher (0-1), B McCormack (0-3), L Tynan (1-3), T Fitzgerald. Subs: D Culleton for Fitzgerald, L Wynne (0-1) for Jones, D Rooney for P Cuddy, P Drennan for M McEvoy, C Coonan for Delaney.

WICKLOW: K Snell, MJ O'Neill, G Keogh, G Birmingham, L Kennedy, MA O'Neill, T McGrath, G Doran, C O'Toole, D Moran (0-1), J Murphy, J Keogh (0-8), D Hyland, W O'Gorman (0-1), T Collins. Subs: R O'Brien for L Kennedy. E Kennedy for Moran.

Referee: D Murphy (Wexford)