Laois 2-14 Wexford 1-10
All-Ireland Minor Football Championship Tier 3 Round 1
Laois are through to the quarter final of the All-Ireland Tier 3 Minor football championship following victory over Wexford in Enniscorthy.
John Larkin’s charges were full value for their seven point win and advance to the last eight stage.
Laois ended up in this competition after failing to win any of their Leinster championship group stage matches.
They were narrowly beaten by Offaly and Louth, who will contest the Leinster final, and Dublin, who were beaten in the semi final.
So while Laois’s results were disappointing, the quality of the opposition in their group was shown by how far each of these teams went and also means that Laois should be well able to have a crack at this competition.
They started really well in this one and found themselves nine points up by half time.
With Joe Larkin and Mark O’Connor controlling midfield, Laois had the platform to attack with Sean Rowan kicking a two-pointer and Tadhg Slattery adding another.
Sean Michael Ward then blasted in a goal as Laois led 1-3 to 0-0 after four minutes.
David Timmons slotted a point before another two-pointer from Rowan pushed Laois further ahead.
Wexford struggled to break Laois down with points from Conor Shortall, Ryan Wycherley and Zak Hernan the best they could manage in the first half.
Laois kept going as Finn Dawson joined Slattery and Ward on the scoresheet to leave Laois 1-9 to 0-3 ahead by half time.
And Laois put the tie to bed by the midpoint of the second half with points from Mark O’Connor and Sean Rowan followed by 1-1 from the excellent Tadhg Slattery.
Wexford kept plugging away and were rewarded with a goal from Conor Shortall but Laois were never in danger.
They saw it out with points from Aaron Mackey and Sean Rowan to win well.
The draw for the quarter finals is due to be made on Monday evening.
SCORERS – Laois: Sean Rowan 0-6 (two two pointers, one free), Tadhg Slattery 1-3, Sean Michael Ward 1-1, David Timmons 0-1, Finn Dawson 0-1, Mark O’Connor 0-1, Aaron Mackey 0-1 Wexford: Conor Shortall 1-3 (0-3 frees), Ryan Wycherley 0-3, Nathan Doyle 0-1, Sean Og Murphy 0-1, Noah Byrne 0-1, Zak Hernan 0-1
LAOIS: Conor Dunne (Portlaoise); Harry Browne (The Heath), Sean Maher (Stradbally), Conor Maher (Portarlington); Finn Dawson (Portlaoise), Fionan Brennan (Crettyard), Jack Doyle (Crettyard); Joe Larkin (Stradbally), Mark O’Connor (Portlaoise); David Timmons (Portlaoise), Sean Michael Ward (Portarlington), Sean Rowan (St Joseph’s), Tadhg Slattery (Courtwood), Ultan Dunne (O’Dempsey’s), Bobby Rowan (St Joseph’s). Subs: Cian O’Sullivan (Crettyard) for Dunne and Sean Powders (Portlaoise) for Browne (both 42) Aaron Mackey (Arles-Kilcruise) for Timmons and Ben Peacham (Park-Ratheniska) for O’Connor (both 50), Sean Moran (Portarlington) for Slattery (54)
WEXFORD: Ziggy Rossiter; Daniel Higgins, Eoin Tompkins, Cathal Ennis; Mike Kehoe, Ruadhan O’Dwyer, Kerim Fullam; Sean Og Murphy, Nathan Doyle; Dylan Barrett, Zak Hernan, Scott Sinnott; Ryan Wycherley, Conor Shortall, Alex Devereux. Subs: Max Monahan for Rossiter (inj) and Max Beary for Kehoe (both 28), Oisin Fenlon for Devereux, Adam Furlong for Sinnott and Noah Byrne for Ennis (all HT), Sam Kirwan for Tompkins (49)
SEE ALSO – Tailteann Cup: Laois up and running after leisurely win over Waterford
