Galway 1-26 Laois 0-9:GALWAY WENT through the motions and condemned Laois hurling to another harrowing day at Pearse Stadium on Saturday.
Their hopes of finally capturing the All-Ireland for the first time in 20 years have, however, suffered a big setback; Fergal Moore, the latest to be tried in the troublesome full-back spot, faces a race against time to recover from the hamstring injury that forced him to retire just before the break.
"He is extremely doubtful at this stage and will face a race against time to be fit," said the Galway manager, Ger Loughnane. "He has had this problem for some time and it remains to be seen if he will make it."
Joe Canning scored nine points, five of them from play, yet his marker John A Delaney was the best Laois player on view and only Damien Hayes and Ollie Canning edged him for the man-of-the-match award.
Galway struggled to pull away despite leading 0-6 to 0-2 on 16 minutes, but Laois, who played with seven defenders, got hope with a brace from Noel Costello and John Brophy.
Iarla Tannian, who did well when switched to centre forward, pointed from both sidelines in the space of a minute but another Brophy effort left it 0-10 to 0-6 after 26 minutes.
But there the Laois challenge died and they did not score for the next 26 minutes. Galway scored 1-4 without reply - Adrian Cullinane got the goal off a Damien Hayes pass - to lead by 1-14 to 0-6 at the interval. They added a further five points early in the second half before Brophy ended Laois's barren spell with a fine score.
But by then Galway were 1-19 to 0-7 to the good and playing over the proverbial safety net.
Laois manager Niall Rigney praised his players for their effort.
"I asked the players today to give it their all and they did that. They did it for themselves, for their families, for the clubs and for Laois. They had pride in the jersey. They were well short but it was not for lack of effort and you can't ask for more," said Rigney.
GALWAY: J Skehill; D Joyce, F Moore, O Canning; S Kavanagh, J Lee, D Forde; A Cullinane (1-2), A Smith (0-2); A Kerins (0-3), C Donnellan, I Tannian (0-2); D Hayes (0-4), G Farragher (0-4, two frees), J Canning (0-9, four frees). Subs: N Healy for Donnellan (27 mins); C Dervan for Moore (34); K Wade for Healy (39); F Healy for Kerins (48); R Murray for Smith (64).
LAOIS: P Mullaney; D Maher, JA Delaney, C Healy; J Phelan, B Campion, J Walsh; E Holohan (0-1), C Coonan; C Delaney, W Hyland (0-1), J Rowney (0-1); N Costello (0-3, all frees), J Brophy (0-3), N Holmes. Subs: M McEvoy for Rowney (45 mins); E Browne for Coonan (65).
Referee: J McGrath (Westmeath).
