Laois step on the gas to leave Carlow trailing in their wake

Laois 2-18 Carlow 0-13: Laois hurlers are through to a first Leinster semi-final since 2005 as a result of victory over Carlow at O'Moore Park yesterday.

Carlow were hoping for a first provincial victory over Laois in 47 years and the way they played in the opening 30 minutes looked capable of ending that particular famine.

A decent crowd of over 2,500 were treated to a good old-fashioned derby between Barrowside neighbours. Laois were buoyed up by a good performance against Antrim in the opening round but looked sluggish in the opening half.

On scraps
Carlow led after 11 minutes thanks to two well-taken points by Edward Coady but Laois were living on scraps and were grateful for the accuracy of free-taker Stephen Maher. In contrast, Carlow's Marty Kavanagh missed several placed-ball chances.

The turning point of the half was when Laois goalkeeper Eoin Reilly produced two point-blank saves while after 15 minutes. Willie Hyland punished the visitors’ defence for failing to clear their lines and the ball hit the net from a good ground stroke to give the O’Moore County the lead for the second time.

Carlow then produced their best hurling with a succession of points from Hugh P O’Byrne, Seán Murphy and Marty Kavanagh and the sides were level nearing the half-time break but Laois then hit three in a row to lead 1-7 to 0-7 at the interval.

Laois changed the game with five superb points inside the six minutes of the new half and Carlow did not open their account until Marty Kavanagh converted a free after 50 minutes and when he added two more there was a glimmer of hope.

Beyond doubt
Laois then pulled away with magnificent long-range points by Cahir Healy and Joe Fitzpatrick and Zane Keenan put the issue beyond doubt when he hammered a 20-metre free to the net after 60 minutes.

In the closing minutes Tipperary referee Johnny Ryan issued two Carlow players, Shane Kavanagh and Jack Kavanagh, with red cards and in injury time gave substitute Paul Coady a straight red but by then Laois were looking forward to a visit from Leinster champions Galway in two weeks' time.

LAOIS: E O'Reilly; B Stapleton, B Campion, J A Delaney; C Healy (0-2), M Whelan (0-2, two frees), G Burke; J Fitzpatrick (0-2), J Walsh; S Maher (0-10, seven frees), Z Keenan (1-0), W Hyland (1-1); N Foyle, T Fitzgerald (0-1), B Dunne. Subs: D Maher for B Campion (17 mins), J Brophy for B Dunne (41 mins), B Duggan for N Foyle (51 mins), C Dunne for J Walsh (55 mins).
CARLOW: F Foley; HP O'Byrne (0-2), E Nolan, D Shaw; A Corcoran, D English (0-2), D Byrne; R Coady, J Kavanagh (0-1); S Murphy (0-1), S Kavanagh, E Coady (0-2); C Doyle, M Kavanagh (0-4), J M Nolan (0-1); Subs: M Brennan for S Murphy (47 mins), P Coady for D Byrne (48 mins), P Shaw for JM Nolan (51 mins), D Roberts for C Doyle (55 mins), C McCabe for D Shaw (65 mins).
Referee: Johnny Ryan (Tipperary).