Joe McDonagh Cup Round 2

KERRY 3-20 LAOIS 0-19

by Paul Brennan at Austin Stack Park, Tralee

The Kerry hurlers coasted to an important 10-point win over Laois that gets them back in the hunt to qualify from the Joe McDonagh Cup after losing to Carlow in the opening round. With just two home games from five rounds it was imperative that Kerry got a win here, and three first half goals proved the perfect platform for them to do just that.

The game was just 90 seconds old when Jack Goulding found the Laois net and Kerry were very much in control from there on, with some fine play against a Laois team that never really troubled Kerry goalkeeper Martin Stackpoole.

Both teams' free takers, Shane Conway and Ross King, kept the points tally ticking over, though Kerry had the better of the goal chances when Brendan O'Leary clipped his shot inches wide and then Sean Weir put the ball over the bar with the goal at his mercy.

Laois had lost full back Leigh Begin at that stage, and with the score 1-8 to 0-7 after 33 minutes Brendan O'Leary made no mistake with his second goal chance to put Kerry seven clear. A minute later Laois had defender Padraig Lawlor send off on a straight red, and the visitors' problems were compounded when Shane Nolan poached a goal three minutes into added on time to help Kerry to a 3-10 to 0-9 half time lead.

Barry Mahony and Conway scored early second half points to stretch Kerry's lead to 12 and the home side easily saw out the game after that. Ben Conroy chipped in with four second half points from play for Laois but with a man down the Leinster side struggled to create any goal chances.

In the end the teams shared 20 points in the second half for what was a comfortable and crucial win for Kerry, who welcome Westmeath to Tralee next weekend with Laois traveling north to Antrim.

Scorers for Kerry: Shane Conway 0-9 (7f), Jack Goulding 1-2 (0-1 s/l), Shane Nolan 1-2, Brendan O'Leary 1-0, Sean Weir 0-2, Bryan Murphy, Brandon Barrett, Dáithí Griffin, Barry O'Mahony and Maurice O'Connor 0-1 each.

Scorers for Laois: Ross King 0-8 (6f, 2 '65'), Ben Conroy 0-5, Paddy Purcell, Cian Taylor, Charles Dwyer, Willie Dunphy, Stephen Maher and PJ Scully 0-1 each.

KERRY: Martin Stackpoole, Sean Weir, John Buckley, Bryan Murphy, Brandon Barrett, Daniel Collins, Tom Murnane, Shane Nolan, Brendan O’Leary, Dáithí Griffin, Mikey Boyle, Barry O'Mahony, Jack Goulding, Padraig Boyle, Shane Conway.** Subs: **James O'Connor for T Murnane (inj, 24), Daniel O'Carroll for S Nolan (55), Tomas O'Connor for D Griffin (68), Maurice O'Connor for J Goulding (70+3), Jason Diggins for S Weir (70+4).

**LAOIS: **Enda Rowland, Padraig Lawlor, Leigh Bergin, Lee Cleere, Ryan Mullaney, Matthew Whelan, Eric Killeen, Paddy Purcell, Cian Taylor, Charles Dwyer, Ben Conroy, Willie Dunphy, Ross King, Stephen Maher, PJ Scully. Subs: Colm Stapleton for L Bergin (10), James Ryan for L Cleere (24), Joe Phelan for R Mullaney (HT), Mark Kavanagh for E Killeen (47), Mark Dowling for PJ Scully (58).

**Referee: **David Hughes (Carlow)