Laois 0-10
Kilkenny 5-21
Alan Hartnett reporting at O’Moore Park
KILKENNY SENIOR ADRIAN Mullen bagged a goal in each half as DJ Carey’s side had 26 points to spare over Laois in O’Moore Park this evening.
They progress to face Galway in the Leinster semi-final where one would imagine a far sterner test will lie ahead.
When the sides met two years ago in the minor semi-final, Kilkenny won 3-30 to 0-9 and it was a similar story here.
Laois battled reasonably well in the opening half but trailed by 2-8 to 0-6 at the break and things got considerably worse for them in the second half when they abandoned their sweeper system.
Kilkenny took their scores very well with centre forward Niall Brassil particularly impressive as he fired over seven points from centre-forward.
Laois got a great start to the second half as Diarmuid Conway blasted over a point and they then had a goal chance through full forward Conor Cosgrove but his shot went wide with keeper Dean Mason beaten.
That would have cut the gap to four points but instead Kilkenny took over and they ran riot from there to the finish to win in style.
Laois scorers: Eoin Gaughan 0-6 (4f), Padraig Delaney (1f), James Keyes, Diarmuid Conway and Joe Bergin 0-1 each.
Kilkenny scorers: Niall Brassil 0-7 (5f), Adrian Mullen 2-0, Eoin Cody 0-4, Stephen Donnelly 1-1, James Bergin and Sean Ryan 1-0 each, Evan Shefflin 0-3, Eoin O’Shea 0-2, Aaron Brennan, Jordan Molloy, David Blanchfield and Ciaran Brennan 0-1 each
Laois
1. Paudie McDonald (Colt)
2. John Maher (Rosenallis)
3. Ryan Murphy (Galmoy)
4. Liam Senior (Captain) (Clonaslee St Manman’s)
5. Padraig Dunne (The Harps)
6. Padraig Delaney (The Harps)
7. Allan Connolly (Ballyfin)
8. James Keyes (Colt)
9. Diarmuid Conway (Clough-Ballacolla)
10. Eoin Gaughan (Camross)
11. Daniel Comerford (The Harps)
12. Ciaran Comerford (The Harps)
13. Brandon McGinley (Rathdowney-Errill)
14. Conor Cosgrove (Rosenallis)
15. Joe Phelan (Castletown)
Subs:
Eoin Dowling (Camross) for D Comerford (ht)
Mark Hennessy (Clough-Ballacolla) for Cosgrove (40 mins)
Cormac Rigney (Portlaoise) for McGinley (52 mins)
Oisin Bennett (Camross) for Connolly (52 mins)
Thep Fitzpatrick (Rathdowney-Errill) for Maher (57 mins)
Kilkenny
1. Dean Mason (Ballyhale Shamrocks)
2. Tommy Ronan (Graigue-Ballycallan)
3. Conor Flynn (Graigue-Ballycallan)
4. Mikey Butler (O’Loughlin Gaels)
5. Conor Heary (O’Loughlin Gaels)
6. Michael Carey (Young Irelands)
7. David Blanchfield (Bennettsbridge)
8. John Dowd (Erin’s Own)
9. Evan Shefflin (Ballyhale Shamrocks – captain)
10. Eoin O’Shea (O’Loughlin Gaels)
11. Niall Brassil (James Stephens)
12. Adrian Mullen (Ballyhale Shamrocks)
13. Stephen Donnelly (Thomastown)
14. James Bergin (Clara)
15. Eoin Cody (Ballyhale Shamrocks).
Subs:
Aaron Brennan (Graigue-Ballycallan) for Dowd (42 mins)
Ciaran Brennan (Bennettsbridge) for Bergin (49 mins)
Sean Ryan (Graigue-Ballyacallan) for Mullen (51 mins)
James Brennan (Erin’s Own) for Heary (53 mins)
Jordan Molloy (O’Loughlin Gaels) for O’Shea (54 mins)
Referee: Richie Fitzsimons (Offaly)
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