Laois 4-15

Longford 0-16

Shane Stapleton reports from O’Moore Park

LAOIS SMASHED FOUR goals in six minutes at either side of half-time to swat aside Longford in today’s Leinster SFC round one clash at O’Moore Park.

Brothers Paul (2) and Donie Kingston hit the net three times between them, while Alan Farrell too beat visiting keeper Paddy Collum to set up a quarter-final clash with neighbours Kildare on June 4.

Peter Creedon’s side targeted their inside line of the Kingstons and John O’Loughlin throughout the game, and they notched 3-8 between them.

Their height troubled Dennis Connerton’s outfit from the get-go, but after going 9-3 behind after 17 minutes, Longford made decent fightback to be within a major heading into the break.

It was at this stage that Laois put their collective boot on the throats of Longford. Paul Kingston dummied his man and smashed to the net from inside the penalty for number one on 35 minutes.

Thirty seconds later, the O’Moore Men turned over yet another kickout and brother Donie Kingston traded bandpasses with Evan O’Farrell before rolling the ball home sweetly.

After the restart, and a four-minute delay for an injury to Longford midfield John Keegan, Alan Farrell slotted to the net after good work from Darren Strong.

Then the final nail came from the brothers, Paul coolly directing his shot to the bottom corner after Donie beat two men and fisted a pass over the top.

From then on, the game lost its lustre and it became something of a low-intensity training session. Robbie Smyth, to his credit, smacked over 11 points for Longford, who are now heading for the qualifiers.

Scorers for Laois: Paul Kingston 2-1, Donie Kingston 1-4 (3f), Alan Farrell 1-0, John O’Loughlin 0-3, Niall Donoher, Eoin Buggie, Padraig McMahon, Darren Strong, Brendan Quigley, Evan O’Carroll, Colm Begley 0-1.

Scorers for Longford: Robbie Smyth 0-11 (6f), Sean McCormack, Liam Connerton, Darren Gallagher, Ronan McEntire, Conor Berry 0-1 each.

Laois

1. Graham Brody (Portlaoise)

2. Damien O’Connor (Timahoe)
3. Denis Booth (The Heath)
4. Padraig McMahon (Ballyroan Abbey)

5. Darren Strong (Emo)
7. Stephen Attride (Killeshin)
18. Eoin Buggie (Stradbally)

8. Brendan Quigley (Timahoe)
6. Colm Begley (Stradbally)

10. Alan Farrell (Ballylinan)
13. Evan O’Carroll (Crettyard)
12. Niall Donoher (Courtwood)

17. Paul Kingston (Arles-Killeen)
14. Donal Kingston (Arles-Killeen)
15. John O’Loughlin (St Brigid’s)

Subs:

James Kelly (St Joseph’s) for D O’Connor, 33 mins
Gareth Dillon (Portlaoise) for Attride, 60 mins
James Finn (Ballyfin) for D Kingston, 68 mins
Ross Munnelly (Arles-Kilcruise) for O’Carroll, 70 mins
Kevin Meaney (Arles-Kilcruise) for Donoher, 74 mins
Sean Moore (Ballyfin) for O’Loughlin, 74 mins

Longford

1. Paddy Collum (Fr Manning Gaels)

5. Donal McElligott (Mullinalaghta)
3. Barry Gilleran (Longford Slashers)
4. Andrew Farrell (Cashel)

2. Dermot Brady (Longford Slashers)
6. James McGivney (Mullinalaghta)
7. Dessie Reynolds (Sean Connollys)

8. John Keegan (Mullinalaghta)
9. Michael Quinn (Killoe)

10. Ronan McEntire (Dromard)
11. Sean McCormack (Killoe)
12. Diarmuid Masterson (Dromard)

13. Robbie Smyth (Abbeylara)
14. Liam Connerton (Rathcline)
15. Barry McKeon (Colmcille)

Subs

Darren Gallagher (St Mary’s Granard) for Masterson, 30 mins
Barry O’Farrell (Carrickedmond) for Farrell, HT
Larry Moran (Killoe) for Keegan, 41 mins
Conor Berry (Abbeylara) for O’Farrell, 57 mins
David McGivney (Mullinalaghta) for McEntire, 70 mins
Daniel Mimnagh (Killoe) for Reynolds, 70 mins

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