All-Ireland SHC qualifiers: Galway 7-18, Laois 2-13 Four goals from Alan Kerins helped Galway to a comprehensive victory over outclassed Laois in a one-sided qualifier clash at Portlaoise on Saturday. Fielding 13 of the team that fell to Cork last September, Galway soon established control and two goals from Richie Murray midway through the first half set them on their way.
Kerins added his first goal before the break to help establish the Tribesmen's Galway's 3-8 to 0-6 interval lead. James Young scored four first- half points for Laois.
Laois opened the second half well and a well-taken Mark Rooney goal narrowed the deficit to six points but two goals in three minutes from Kerins finished the game as a contest. Rooney grabbed a second goal for Laois before the finish but further goals from Kerins and Damian Hayes in the final 15 minutes gave the final scoreboard a one-sided look.
GALWAY: L Donoghue; D Joyce, T Óg Regan, O Canning; D Hardiman, S Kavanagh, MJ Quinn; F Healy (0-3), D Collins; G Farragher (0-3). D Forde (0-2), A Keary (0-3); A Kerins (4-2) J Murray (2-1), D Hayes (1-2). Subs: C Connolly (0-2) for Murray (66 mins), G Mahon for Quinn (52 mins), K Burke for Kerins, E Lynch for Collins (both 66 mins).
LAOIS: P Mullaney; B Campion, P Cuddy, M McEvoy; J Delaney, J Walsh, J Hyland; J Fitzpatrick (0-2), J Phelan (0-1); J Brophy, J Young (0-8), C Healy; Z Keenan (0-1), T Fitzgerald, J Hooban. Subs: M Rooney (2-1) for Hooban (31 mins), D Culleton for Keenan (59 mins).
Referee: B White (Tipperary)
