Sport

Cork's perfect ten outclasses Laois

GAA: ALL IRELAND SHC QUALIFIERS: Cork 10-20 Laois 1-13: NOT SINCE Wexford beat Antrim in 1954, when Nicky Rackard accounted …

Mon Jun 20 2011 - 01:00

GAA: ALL IRELAND SHC QUALIFIERS: Cork 10-20 Laois 1-13:NOT SINCE Wexford beat Antrim in 1954, when Nicky Rackard accounted for seven goals , has any county suffered as heavy a championship defeat as Laois on Saturday at Portlaoise.

Laois actually started well and had two points by Neil Foyle inside three minutes but Cork drew level with points from Niall McCarthy and Ben O’Connor. Laois then went three in front before Cork got their opening goal from Pat Horgan and followed up with two more by Paudie O’Sullivan. Although Willie Hyland gave Laois hope with a great goal in the 29th minute, Luke O’Farrell shot the game’s fourth after 32 minutes and at half time Cork led 3-9 to 1-8.

Laois opened the second period with two points but Cork began to move through the gears and O’Sullivan started the goal rush after 48 minutes followed a minute later by Horgan.

Billy Cooper made it 6-15 to 1-10 after 50 minutes and in the next 20 minutes the Rebels added four goals and five points with two of those from substitute Jamie Coughlan.

READ MORE

Afterwards, Denis Walsh expressed satisfaction but would have preferred a sterner test but Brendan Fennelly put his hands up saying his charges were simply not good enough and then said that preparation was far from smooth.

CORK: D Óg Cusack; S McDonnell, E Cadogan, B Murphy; J Gardiner (0-1, free), W Egan, S O'Neill; T Kenny, P Cronin; B O'Connor (0-1), B Cooper (1-3), N McCarthy (0-3); L O'Farrell (1-0), P O'Sullivan (3-1), P Horgan (3-11, 0-6 frees). Subs: J Coughlan (2-0) for O'Farrell (51 mins), R Curran for Gardiner (52 mins), J O'Connor for Cronin (54 mins), C O'Sullivan for Murphy (55 mins), C Naughton for McCarthy (56 mins).

LAOIS: P Mullaney; J Delaney, B Campion, C Dunne; J Fitzpatrick, M Whelan (0-2, frees), B Galvin; J Walsh, S Burke; N Costelloe (0-1), G Reddin (0-1), W Hyland (1-4, 0-1 free); N Foyle (0-2), O Holohan, J Brophy (0-3). Subs: S Dollard for O Holohan (42 mins), W Dunphy for S Burke (53 mins), J Prior for C Dunne (59 mins), D Peacock for G Reddin (64 mins).

Referee: J McGrath (Westmeath).