Offaly 2-16 Laois 2-15
OFFALY HAVE BEATEN 2-16 to 2-15 in the Bord Gais Energy Leinster U21 hurling quarter-final at O’Moore Park, Portlaoise this evening.
It was a thrilling game in which nine of the Offaly senior hurling squad – Conor Clancy, Dan Kelleher, the Cleary brothers (Michael and Sean), David King, Pat Camon, Sean Gardiner, Tom Carroll and Peter Geraghty – were involved.
From the Laois side, Stephen Maher and Bill Duggan both featured after being involved in the county’s Leinster senior quarter-final win over Carlow last Sunday.
Offaly get off to an excellent start, with an Adrian Hynes goal helping them take a 1-4 to 0-1 lead early on.
Shortly thereafter, Laois responded positively, as a Ben Conroy goal got them back into the game, meaning Offaly’s lead was cut to two points.
The visitors subsequently held firm though, and went in at the break, 1-9 to 1-6 ahead.
After the break, Laois showed good character, scoring a number of points to draw level with their opponents, before a PJ Scully goal put them ahead for the first time in the game.
Offaly responded in turn though, as Stephen Quirke’s goal levelled the scores up once more.
A further exchange of points between the sides set up a tense finale, with a Stephen Quirke point in injury time ultimately winning the game for his side.
Scorers for Offaly: Stephen Quirke 1-9, Adrian Hynes 1-0, Sean Cleary, Tom Carroll, Peter Geraghty 0-2 each, Thomas Geraghty 0-1.
Scorers for Laois: Stephen Maher 0-10, PJ Scully 1-1, Ben Conroy 1-0, Ross King 0-2, Paddy Purcell 0-1.
LAOIS: Eoin Fleming (Borris-in-Ossory-Kilcotton); Darragh Duggan (Portlaoise), Gearoid Burke (Camross), Oisin Carroll (St Lazerian’s Abbeyleix); Matthew Collier (Camross), Bill Duggan (Clough Ballacolla), Nathan Unwin (Rathdowney Errill); James Ryan (Rathdowney Errill), Ben Conroy (Castletown Slieve Bloom); Paddy Purcell (Rathdowney Errill), MJ Lalor (Ballypickas), Stephen Maher (Clough Ballacolla); Ross King (Rathdowney Errill), Paddy Whelan (Borris-in-Ossory-Kilcotton), PJ Scully (Borris-in-Ossory-Kilcotton).
Referee: Peter Burke (Kilkenny)
