Tierney expects Donegal clampdown

Laois sharp shooter MJ Tierney expects his opportunities from placed balls to be restricted in Sunday's Allianz Football League Division 2 final against Donegal.

Tierney scored 1-10, including ten points from frees, when the sides met in a dress rehearsal for Sunday's Croke Park showdown in Round 7 of the Allianz Football League on April 10.

"It's great to be able to take the frees for Laois and to be able to put up scores like that, but as I said before I could turn around in the League final and not kick one score. It's the way the luck of football goes," Tierney told www.gaa.ie.

"Donegal, I can guarantee it, won't be letting me score too easily in the League final. And no one will in the Championship because people are looking at us now."

Tierney grabbed all the headlines when his stunning haul helped Laois to book their place in the second tier showpiece with a 1-15 to 1-11 defeat of Jim McGuinness's side.

However, the Parnells man says, despite the plaudits after his tour de force, there is still room for improvement in his game, especially his contribution from open play.

"I would have been a lot happier to have had ten scores from open play," he says. "A lot of people were patting me on the back, but I know myself that I am not happy with how I performed from play myself. I could have done a lot better on the day.

"I take the frees. If it wasn't me taking them someone else would have taken them and could very easily have kicked ten points as well."

Tierney admits that Laois now have a target on their backs after a successful League campaign.

"Because we are in the League final people have ear-marked us now so out underdog status has gone," he adds.

"We're going to have to have to try and deal with that now and take each game as it comes."

You can read an exclusive and extensive interview with Laois star MJ Tierney in Sunday's Official GAA Allianz Football League finals match day programme.