Sport

Laois rally late to start with victory

Laois 1-13 Tipperary 1-11 : TIPPERARY MARKED their return to Division Two with a mixed performance – a poor first half and a…

Mon Feb 08 2010 - 00:00

Laois 1-13 Tipperary 1-11: TIPPERARY MARKED their return to Division Two with a mixed performance – a poor first half and a much improved second – at O'Moore Park on Saturday.

For 17 minutes they were camped in their half and when they finally got sight of the Laois goal Barry Grogan blazed a scoreable free well wide.

Laois began their second season in the division with two well-taken points from Donie Kingston and Michael Tierney but then went 10 minutes before Paul Lawlor made it three.

The score of the game came after 30 minutes when a great ball in to the square was seized by Michael Tierney and he sent a powerful shot to the net.

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Tipperary finally scored with a Grogan point and before the break centre forward Philip Austin added a second from play to leave the home team leading 1-9 to 0-2, Kingston and Tierney creating havoc for the visitors’ defence.

Tipperary manager John Evans’s half-time team talk had the desired effect and although Cathal Óg Greene scored an early Laois point it was the visitors who dominated as Grogan sent over four points inside the opening 10 minutes followed by one from George Hannigan.

Laois were outplayed in midfield and when the Tipperary introduced under-21 player Conor Sweeney he caused plenty of trouble for Laois. Three magnificent points from Sweeney saw the teams level with 10 minutes left. The most important score of the half came after a great ball in by Grogan was forced over the line by Austin. Laois rallied and two great points from substitute Donal Miller and Brendan Quigley saved the home team from defeat.

LAOIS: C Gorman; J Scully, C Ryan, P McMahon; D Strong, J O'Loughlin, C Begley; B Quigley (0-1), C Óg Greene (0-2); C Coss, A Doran, N Donogher (0-1); M J Tierney (1-3), D Kingston (0-3), P Lawlor (0-2). Subs: D Miller (0-1)for Coss, R Munnelly for Doran, M Timmons for Scully.

TIPPERARY: P Fitzgerald; C Morrissey, C McDonald, N Curran; C Aylward, R Costigan, C McGrath; G Hannigan (0-1), A Rockett; S Carey, P Austin (1-1), B Coen; S Hahessy, S Grogan, B Grogan (0-5). Subs: C Sweeney (0-3)for Coen, P Acheson (0-1)for Hahessy, J Cagney for Austin.

Referee: Pat Fox(Westmeath).