Laois captain David Dooley and Westmeath captain Robbie Greville with referee Brian Keon before their Joe McDonagh Cup Round 1 clash.
Joe McDonagh Cup Round 1
LAOIS 3-25 WESTMEATH 1-22
By Alan Hartnett at Laois Hire O'Moore Park
The Laois senior hurlers made the perfect start to their Joe McDonagh Cup campaign as they defeated Westmeath with a fair degree of comfort in O'Moore Park.
Tommy Fitzgerald's side ran out deserving nine point winners over their visitors with Tomas Keyes, Ben Conroy and Cha Dwyer all rattling the net.
Westmeath enjoyed the better of the opening exchanges and led by two points after 20 minutes. Laois hit a purple patch after that with unanswered points from Jer Quinlan, Tomas Keyes, Aidan Corby and Paddy Purcell.
Killian Doyle replied for Westmeath but the half hinged on two outstanding pieces of play from Laois in the 23rd minute.
Westmeath's David Mitchell went baring down on the Laois goal but an amazing hook from Lee Cleere prevented a certain score and set Laois away on a counter attack.
The ball eventually came to Tomas Keyes who picked out the top corner of the net from 21 yards out with a simply stunning strike.
Killian Doyle tried to keep Westmeath in it but Podge Delaney, Jordan Walshe, Ben Conroy and captain David Dooley all scored as Laois led 1-16 to 0-10 at half time.
Laois got the second half off to a good start with points from Keyes, Conroy and Quinlan while Killian Doyle and the impressive Peter Clarke replied for Westmeath.
However, Laois made a big step when a long ball in from Tom Cuddy ended with Cha Dwyer getting a touch and it resulting in Laois’s second goal. By that stage there were 13 points in it with less than 45 minutes on the clock.
Westmeath battled back and got five quick points in a row but Quinlan and another Keyes free took the sting out of that. Keyes eventually finished with 1-8 before being replaced by James Duggan, who got a point after coming on, as did Martin Phelan. In all, 11 Laois players got their names on the scoresheet.
Killian Doyle, in particular, kept the scoreboard moving for Westmeath but any lingering mystery was taken out of the game when Ben Conroy got in for Laois’s third goal.
Westmeath desperately went for goals from there on but stout Laois defending and a couple of great Cathal Dunne saves kept them at bay until Doyle fired a free to the net with the last puck.
Scorers for Laois: Tomas Keyes 1-8 (0-3 frees, 0-1 65), Ben Conroy 1-2, Paddy Purcell and Jer Quinlan 0-4 each, Cha Dwyer 1-0, David Dooley 0-2, Martin Phelan, James Duggan, Jordan Walshe, Aidan Corby and Podge Delaney 0-1 each
Scorers for Westmeath: Killian Doyle 1-11 (1-6 frees), Peter Clarke 0-5, David O'Reilly 0-2, Robbie Greville, Niall O'Brien, Eamon Cuneen (65) and David Williams 0-1 each
LAOIS: Cathal Dunne; Diarmaid Conway, Lee Cleere, Cody Comerford; Tom Cuddy, Podge Delaney, Jordan Walshe; Fiachra C-Fennell, David Dooley; Aidan Corby, Cha Dwyer, Paddy Purcell; Tomas Keyes, Jer Quinlan, Ben Conroy. Subs: Ryan Mullaney for Walshe (29, inj)
WESTMEATH: Ciaran O’Brien; Conor Gaffney, Tommy Doyle, Gary Greville; Aaron Craig, Robbie Greville, Shane Williams; Davy Glennon, Killian Doyle; David O’Reilly, Niall Mitchell, Peter Clarke; Eamon Cunneen, Mark Cunningham, Joseph Boyle. Subs: David Hickey for Glennon (10, blood, reversed 22), David Williams for Glennon (22)
Ref: Brian Keon (Galway)
