Offaly 0-21
Laois 0-13
Steven Miller reports from O’Moore Park
OFFALY ARE LEINSTER minor hurling champions for the first time in 22 years following a well-deserved win over Laois this evening in O’Moore Park.
Not since 2000 have Offaly won provincial honours but in front of a bumper crowd of 12,487 and in a game that had to have its throw-in delayed because of crowd congestion, they were just that too bit too strong for the home side.
Laois had knocked out Wexford and Kilkenny to get to the final and were seeking a first triumph since 1964.
But despite taking an early lead with a couple of scores from their chief scorer Ben Deegan, Offaly soon got their noses in front.
The excellent Ter Guinan got their first point and then the diminutive Adam Screeney opened his account with the first of his 0-10 tally.
Despite playing against the breeze, Offaly were 0-6 to 0-3 up after 12 minutes, with Screeney leading the way and Cillian Martin, son of former Offaly great Kevin, also pointing.
For Laois, Deegan kept them in touch and Jer Quinlan got one and by half time Offaly were 0-9 to 0-7 in front.
Under the management of former Limerick player Leo O’Connor, Offaly came out of the traps quickest in the second half and the outstanding Dan Ravenhill got the first two points of the half.
Leigh Kavanagh – one of five Kilcormac-Killoughey players in the starting 15 – then pushed them five clear.
Ben Deegan kept the scoreboard moving for Laois and Cormac Byrne got one but they could never get closer than three points and Donal Shirley, Shane Rigney, Conor Doyle, Cathal Robinson, Screen and Ravenhill saw them safely home.
They now go forward to an All Ireland semi-final while Laois go to a round robin All Ireland quarter-final phase with beaten Munster finalists Clare and Galway.
Scorers for Offaly: Adam Screeney 0-10 (nine frees), Dan Ravenhill 0-3, Shane Rigney 0-2, Ter Guinan 0-1, Donal Shirley 0-1, Conor Doyle 0-1, Leigh Kavanagh 0-1, Cillian Martin 0-1, Cathal Robinson 0-1
Scorers for Laois: Ben Deegan 0-10 (eight frees), Cormac Byrne 0-1, Jack Breen 0-1, Jer Quinlan 0-1
Offaly
1. Liam Hoare (Carrig & Riverstown)
2. Caelum Larkin (Carrig & Riverstown), 3. James Mahon (Kilcormac-Killoughey), 4. Ruairi Kelly (Lusmagh)
5. Donal Shirley (Tubber), 6. Brecon Kavanagh (Kilcormac-Killoughey), 7. Ter Guinan (Kilcormac-Killoughey)
8. Leigh Kavanagh (Kilcormac-Killoughey), 9. Cillian Martin (Tullamore)
10. Shane Rigney (St Rynagh’s), 11. Dan Ravenhill (Durrow), 12. Conor Doyle (Clara)
13. Cathal Robinson (Kinnity), 14. Niall Furlong (Tullamore), 15. Adam Screeney (Kilcormac-Killoughey)
Subs:
17. Paddy Dooley (Kinnity) for Guinan (blood – 28-30)
19. Shane Connolly (Coolderry) for Martin (59)
20. James Liffey (Shinrone) for Doyle (60)
Laois
1. Brochan O’Reilly (Portlaoise)
2. Bobby Murphy (The Harps), 3. Ciaran Flynn (The Harps), 4. Joe Pearson (Clough-Ballacolla)
5. Thomas Brennan (Clough-Ballacolla), 6. Tom Cuddy (Camross), 7. Cormac Hogan (Clough-Ballacolla)
8. Andrew McDonagh (Ballinakill), 9. Kevin Byrne (Camross)
10. Ben Deegan (Camross), 11. Liam Kirby (The Harps), 12. Jack Breen (Castletown)
13. Eoghan Cuddy (Camross), 14. Jer Quinlan (Clough-Ballacolla), 15. Cormac Byrne (Abbeyleix)
Subs:
19. Eoghan Murphy (The Harps) for McDonagh (36),
20. Aaron Carroll (Camross) for Kirby (36)
17. Rory Kelly (Castletown) for E Cuddy (51)
22. Justin Deegan (The Harps) for Breen (59)
Referee: Caymon Flynn (Westmeath)
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