Laois 2-18 Carlow 0-13
LAOIS BOOKED THEIR place in the Leinster SHC semi-finals with an 11-point win over Carlow in Portlaoise.
A flurry of late red cards saw Carlow finish the game with 12 men as their hosts set up a meeting against Leinster champions Galway in the next round.
Willie Hyland’s first-half goal was all that separated the sides at the end of an evenly-matched first half. Laois relied heavily on Clough Ballacolla’s Stephen “Picky” Maher who scored five points, all from frees, to help them to a 1-7 to 0-7 lead.
Maher matched that tally with another five points as the O’Moores stretched their lead after the break, their second goal coming courtesy of a thumping 21-yard free from Zane Keenan just after the hour mark.
The game was dead as a contest when referee Johnny Ryan showed sent off Jack and Shane Kavanagh with five minutes to play, and Carlow were then reduced to 12 when substitute Paul Coady was also given his marching orders.
Laois now face Galway in the Leinster SHC semi-final on 16 June.
Laois: Eoin Reilly (St Lazarian’s, Abbeyleix); Brian Stapleton (Borris-in-Ossory Kilcotton), Brian Campion (Rathdowney-Errill), John A Delaney (Clough Ballacolla); Cahir Healy (Portlaoise), Matthew Whelan (Borris-in-Ossory Kilcotton), Gearoid Burke (Camross); Joe Fitzpatrick (Rathdowney-Errill), James Walsh (Ballinakill); Stephen Maher (Clough Ballacolla), Zane Keenan (Camross), Willie Hyland (Clough Ballacolla); Neil Foyle, Tommy Fitzgerald (Portlaoise), Brian Dunne (The Harps).
Carlow: Frank Foley (Mount Leinster Rangers); Hugh Patrick O’Byrne (Mount Leinster Rangers), Eoin Nolan (Naomh Eoin), Des Shaw (Naomh Bríd); Alan Corcoran (Erins Own), David English (Ballinkillen), Diarmuid Byrne (Mount Leinster Rangers); Richard Coady (Mount Leinster Rangers), Jack Kavanagh (St. Mullins); Sean Murphy (Ballinkillen), Shane Kavanagh (Naomh Eoin), Edward Coady (c, Mount Leinster Rangers); Craig Doyle (Erins Own), Marty Kavanagh (St. Mullins), John Michael Nolan (Naomh Eoin).
