Antrim make Laois work hard for AHL Division 1B win

LAOIS 2-21 ANTRIM 0-21

Second-half goals from Neil Foyle and Ross King proved crucial as Laois were made to dig very deep by Antrim before eking out the expected AHL Division 1B win at O'Moore Park.

Laois kept their promotion hopes intact but a lack of intensity in the third quarter almost proved catastrophic, although they did respond well to the danger, scoring their second-half 2-8 tally in the last 20 minutes.

Laois led 0-13 to 0-8 at the break and looked to be playing within themselves to establish that advantage, as Antrim played with just four forwards, leaving Brian Stapleton and Matthew Whelan to their own devices.

The visitors did have plenty of possession though and in Conor Johnston, had one of the game’s top performers.

The St John’s man finished with seven points from play, while midfielder Paul Shiels was excellent with his long-range free-taking.

Neil McManus had been the Saffron’s chief scoring threat in recent years but he was operating at right-half back, marking Willie Hyland. That didn’t prevent him getting on the scoresheet but three points from Tommy Fitzgerald, including a rasper that was deflected over the bar brilliantly by Chris O’Connell, helped Laois run up their half-time advantage.

Antrim rocketed out of the traps at the start of the second half though and Shiels had three points inside four points, two of which came from prodigious distances.

Substitute PJ O’Connell and Johnson (two) made it six points without reply and the Kevin Ryan’s charges were in front.

King levelled with Laois’ first score of the half in the 51st minute and Stephen Maher followed up quickly.

The key score arrived seconds later, as Eoin Reilly found Conor Dunne, whose long clearance hopped once before being buried to the Antrim net with a slick ground stroke by Foyle; his first touch moments after being introduced.

Points followed from Hyland, King and John Purcell but Antrim wouldn’t yield easily and they hit back with points of their own from Ciarán Clarke, Shiels and Conor Carson to keep them in contention.

A King goal four minutes from time finally ended the Antrim resistance and they remain pointless after three rounds, while Laois are just a point off the top of the table after recording their second victory.
LAOIS : E Reilly; JA Delaney, B Stapleton, B Camption; J Fitzpatrick (0-1), M Whelan (0-1, free); C Dunne; P Whelan, C Collier; W Hyland (0-1), J Purcell (0-2), C Dwyer (0-3); R King (1-7, 0-5 frees) , D Palmer, T Fitzgerald (0-3). Subs: S Maher (0-1) for Collier (24), P Purcell for P Whelan (45), N Foyle (1-0) for Palmer (51), PJ Scully (0-2) for Fitzgerald inj (53), B Reddin for King (68)
ANTRIM :C O'Connell; Ciaran Johnston, C McKinley, O McFadden; E Campbell, N McCauley, N McManus (0-1); C Carson (0-2), Conor Johnston (0-7); P Shiels (0-6, four frees) , N McKenna, C McCann; C Clarke 0-2, frees) , D Hamill, D McKernan. Subs: PJ O'Connell (0-2) for McCann blood (20-24), O'Connell for McKernan (26m), S Beatty for McKenna (44m), T McCann for C McCann (56), R McCambridge (0-1) for Clarke (56m)
Referee : J Keenan (Wicklow)