LEINSTER FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP QUARTER-FINAL REPLAY
at O'Connor Park, Tullamore
Sunday 2nd June 2003

Report by Cóilín Duffy at O'Connor Park

RAIN, HAILSTONES AND SUNSHINE AT O'CONNOR PARK

Laois v Offaly
Referee: Brian Crowe (Cavan)

Laois continued their successful League and Championship run with a three point victory over Offaly in the Leinster SFC Quarter-Final Replay at Tullamore yesterday. Laois certainly upped the pace from the drawn game and showed that not winning a free inside 50 yards from referee Brian Crowe would not deter them getting all of their 2-10 from play.

Finishing with just 13 players on the pitch after late second half sendings off for both Paul McDonald and Ian Fitzgerald will now certainly rule McDonald out of action for the upcoming semi-final clash against the Dubs. McDonald sent to the line by the referee after a high tackle on Colm Quinn resulting in the Arles/Kileen clubman receiving a straight red-card in the 67th minute of action. Ian Fitzgerald was sent to the line after receiving a second yellow card in the 71st minute.

However the sendings off should not suggest a rugged encounter as both sides played the game in a very sporting manner in front of a estimated 15,000 stong crowd. From the throw-in Offaly started on the offensive and they recorded their first wide of the game within the opening minute of action.

They had their second wide soonafter with a John Reynolds shot wide of the posts. A well worked move by the Laois men in the third minute which saw a Tom Kelly free pass to Noel Garvan who sent the ball into Ross Munnelly passed back to the advancing Tom Kelly who passed the ball to Beano and Beano was awarded a free from a foul by Cathal Daly. Kevin Fitzpatrick sent in a precision pass from the free to Ian Fitzgerald who had no hesitation in converting his first point of the day after 3 1/2 minutes of action.

Kevin Meehan's kickout for Offaly was won by Pauric Clancy but the ball was gathered by McManus who sent the ball into Kenny who passed to Coughlan and Neville Coughlan was fouled by Tom Kelly to give a free to the Faithful side. Colm Quinn converted the resulting free leaving the sides all square at 0-1 a piece after almost five minutes of action.

From the kickout Offaly went on the offensive once again and when Reynolds sent in the ball towards the posts it looked like Offaly had advanced in front but the ball of off the left upright and Laois cleared the ball away. An off the ball incident which wasnt that serious resulted in Kevin Fitzpatrick being shown the first yellow card of the game . McNamee shot wide for Offaly before Laois had their second attack of the day.

Fergal Byron's kickout was won by Garvan in the middle of the park. Laois won a free which Michael Lawlor sent the long ball in to Ian Fitzgerald. An excellent catch by Fitzgerald who chipped the goalkeeper and Laois had a goal to the joy of the Laois team, management and supporters. Indeed Fitzgerald was in excellent form scoring 1-03 for the Laoismen.

Laois launched another attack to no avail before a John Kenny free waas gathered by Pauric Clancy to Lawlor and onto Beano and once again Laois used the long ball into Ian Fitzgerald but this time his shot was saved by Kevin Meehan. Indeed Fitzgerald could have sidestepped the 20 year old Claraman for a goal.

Colm Quinn added another free to keep Offaly in touch. Byron's kickout was once again won in midfield by the Laoismen and a high challenge on Darren Rooney, who was lining out in his second championship game of the weekend, was fouled by James Grennan. A high challenge that could have warrented more than a yellow card but the Ferbane man escaped with just that.

Michael Lawlor shot wide for the Laoismen.  In the 15th minute a sideline ball by Finbar Cullen was gathered cleanly by Colm Byrne and a movement involving Paul McDonald, Noel Garvan, Tom Kelly, Kieran Kelly and Michael Lawlor finished with Ian Fitzgerald slotting the ball over the Town End crossbar. Laois 1-2 Offaly 0-2 a goal between the sides once again.

Laois added another point through Ross Munnelly and from the following kickout won the ball and the long ball ply once again was used to send the ball to Ian Fitzgerald who passed the ball to Beano who sent a return pass to Fitzgerald and back to Beano once again to leave five points between the sides after 17 minutes of play.

Niall McNamee left four between the sides in the 20th minute, the 18 year old sending an excellent point over the bar. Colm Quinn narrowed the gap to three points with his third pointed free of the day before in the 25th minute a free one by Offaly was sent in towards the square by McManus and his blistering shot from the stand side of the field was sent from 60m over the crossbar, an excellent score for the Tubber midfielder.

With two points between the sides Offaly continued to press for scores. Then the rains came with a shower of hailstones that left everybody bar players and referee running for cover. Clancy shot wide for Laois during this spell but as Pascal Kellaghan narrowed the gap to a point the rains stopped and the sunshine began to come out. McNamee added another point immediately to level the game and Pauric Clancy finished the half with a point giving Laois a narrow one point lead at half-time and it still all to play for in the second half.

HALF-TIME LAOIS 1-05 OFFALY 0-07

The second half of the game was as exciting as the first and Offaly levelled the game after 4 minutes with a Pascal Kellaghan free. Offaly went in front then in the nineth minute when a shot from James Grennan sailed over the bar. Laois were being pressed to the core at this stage by Offaly but they responded well to the Offaly challenge in the 11th minute of the half when Beano McDonald squeezed home a shot to the back of the Offaly net for Laois' second goal of the day.

Colm Quinn tagged on another pointed free for the homeside in the 14th minute to leave the minimum between the sides once again. Then a brace of scores from the Laoismen saw them launch into a five point lead by the 23rd minute of the half. Substitute Gary Kavanagh from Stradbally pointed in the 17th minute, RTE Man of the Match Ross Munnelly left a goal between the sides in the 21st minute and further points from Ian Fitzgerald and Noel Garvan saw the visitors sail into a five point lead.

Offaly showed no signs of giving up and and inspirational point from defender Barry Mooney in the 25th minute kept his side in touch. Brian McDonald restored the five point lead for the Laoismen in the 28th minute but Offaly continued to press for scores. Colm Quinn pointed from a free making it five points from five frees for the Ballycumber clubman. Ian Fitzgerald then received his first yellow card for a simple enough tackle on Cathal Daly. Big Sean Grennan was then introduced and he had a chance for goal late in the game went a blistering shot went wide of the posts.

Paul McDonald was sent to the line. Barry Mooney got the final score of the game with a point for Offaly two minutes from time and as Offaly continued to press at the Laoismen the defence of centre-back Tom Kelly, Colm Byrne, Joe Higgins and Aidan Fennelly worked very hard to close the approach routes. Ian Fitzgerald was sent to the line by Brian Crowe for a second yellow card as Laois began to slow the game down. Laois were awarded a free three minutes into injury time foul a foul on Clancy and as Brian Crowe approached the Laoisman taking the free it looked as if he would give a throw ball but Crowe had other things on his mind signaling full-time much to the delight of the Laois contingent present to celebrate the first defeat of Offaly by the Laoismen in Senior Championship football since 1990.

Mick O'Dwyer was speaking after the game expressed his disgust that Laois were not awarded any free inside 50 yards. Indeed a marvellous achievement by the Laoismen was that all of their scores came from play. Being asked could Laois go all the way and win Leinster Micko replied, "Arra, we're only learning. You can't win a Leinster title with just six months behind you.".

A Leinster final place may be on the cards for Laois. Laois will not fear the Dubs running them extremely close in their last meeting in the 1999 Semi-Final Replay. Also many of the Laois team have beaten Dublin sides at underage level in the last decade and they will be confident of progressing to the Leinster Final and giving a good account of themselves in the Leinster championship.

FULL-TIME: LAOIS 2-10 OFFALY 0-13

SUBS USED

RTE MAN OF THE MATCH: Ross Munnelly (Laois)
IRISH INDEPENDENT MAN OF THE MATCH: Tom Kelly (Laois)

e-mail laoisgaa@utvinternet.ie

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