FORMER KILKENNY HURLER Eddie Brennan saw his Laois team beaten 3-22 to 1-19 by Kilkenny as Brian Cody’s side picked up their third win of the National Hurling League and booked their place in the quarter-finals.
Billy Ryan hit the first goal of the game in just the sixth minute after being played in by Ger Alyward.
From that stage Kilkenny began to pull clear, and seven of their eight starting forwards had registered on the scoreboard by the time the half-time whistle sounded, with Cody’s team having built up a 2-15 to 1-8 lead.
Kilkenny’s second goal arrived via Alan Murphy, before Laois goalkeeper Enda Rowland converted a penalty after Ross King had been fouled.
The home side extended their advantage as the second half wore on, with captain Eoin Cody hitting a total of 1-8, his goal also coming from a penalty.
Elsewhere, Wexford enjoyed a comprehensive 2-29 to 1-11 win over Carlow at Chadwicks Wexford Park, which sees them finish second behind Clare in the Division 1B table and secure a spot in the quarter-finals.
Davy Fitzgerald’s side raced into a 0-7 to 0-0 lead with just 13 minutes on the clock.
However they received a scare when Carlow then hit 1-3 without reply, the goal coming from Diarmuid Byrne in the 19th minute.
Wexford took control of the game again from that point and a Rory O’Connor goal on 35 minutes saw them lead 1-13 to 1-06 at half-time.
Carlow’s task became even more difficult when Edward Byrne was sent-off after receiving a second yellow card just before the 50 minute mark.
Wexford responded with six unanswered points from substitute Paul Morris, with the icing on the cake coming from a freak goal on 70 minutes as a Ger Coady clearance was blocked into the net by Diarmuid O’Keefe.
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