Leinster SFC Quarter-final/Laois 0-14 Longford 0-9:Are the Laois golden generation about to grow up? It was hard to tell after this unexceptional evening of football played on a grey, spitting June evening in Tullamore. There has been a fair bit of loose talk of Laois as being the real deal this year, as being potential heirs to Sam. And yet for a good chunk of this match it looked as if Longford, an honest team with no pretensions, might derail them.
In the end class told. The determination, belief and organisation that a proven coach like Luke Dempsey brings to Longford can only push a team so far up the mountain. It must have been heartbreaking for Longford football people to witness the ease with which Laois surged ahead on the scoreboard in the final quarter.
Ultimately, this was a perfectly acceptable first-round victory by Laois. But they know they got out of jail in the first 15 minutes, when they were minced everywhere but on the scoreboard. "I thought the first-half performance was the best since I have been with Longford," agreed Luke Dempsey. "But ultimately when you get chances and frees that are within easy kicking range, for they nearly are professional free-takers now, they have to be scored. We would have taken such heart from being four or five points up. But I have nothing but great praise for their effort."
Longford were terrific value for the first 20 minutes. The defence smothered the Laois forward ranks, with David Hannify an immense presence at centre back and Shane Mulligan causing problems along the right wing. Declan Reilly did a fine job of shadowing Brian McDonald and the midfield pairing ruled the roost.
From the beginning, they looked to move the ball through Brian Kavanagh and the big St Patrick's man ran and ran at Cathal Ryan, who was booked on 15 minutes. Kavanagh skewed the free resulting from that foul. It was Longford's eighth wide, they might have been 10 points clear.
Laois looked moody and unhappy throughout this period. Only the woodwork had prevented a dream beginning, when Ross Munnelly hared on to a long ball from Darren Rooney and clipped a first-time soccer shot around Damien Sheridan. The lightning Munnelly was the first to react to the rebound and hammered for goal again. The crossbar intervened, Longford survived and it was as if the Laois boys got sulky. Their plans were upset by the late withdrawal of Tom Kelly with a groin strain and his absence was telling.
The experiment of playing Brendan Quigley as an imposing full forward was abandoned early and the midfielder ended up shadowing Kavanagh. Both wing backs were in excellent form, with Padraic McMahon particularly eye-catching.
Padraic Clancy was the imposing figure and Michael Tierney played like the archetypal Laois forward, fast and classy. Billy Sheehan used his battering-ram spirit to great effect when sent into the field.
Laois had too much when it mattered. But this performance was far from a statement of All-Ireland intent. They got lucky too. Tierney landed a lovely point on 45 minutes but only after the ball hopped fortuitously his way after a desperate skirmish for possession. Just 10 minutes later, Longford seemed to have a perfectly good goal disallowed.
"Padraic Berry seemed to run from distance, made no contact with the goalkeeper. Free out. And from that, they get a point. Championship matches are turned on such decisions," sighed Dempsey. "If it was a legitimate goal, then it is all the more galling. But I think, being honest, deep in everybody's hearts, when we were not five points up after that first-half effort, it was always going to be a mammoth task."
That was true. The Laois score after the Berry ruling was their most pleasing involving a transfer of passes between Paul Lawlor and Sheehan and finished by Chris Conway. Afterwards, he turned to the stands and conducted the crowd's approval. And the Laois faithful responded, though they seemed bemused. Laois public ambition has stretched beyond first-round midlands wins in the rain.
Still, it was a glimpse of the electric talent and the sense of entitlement begotten from those peerless minor years. It was a reminder of why people fancy Laois. After that, they coasted, with Clancy and Lawlor cantering free to add points.
Longford were stuck on eight points from the 42nd minute to the 63rd. With Kavanagh blotted out, they had no ball winner. They were paying for the wastefulness of the first half. Dempsey must have feared as much at half-time. "Well, when we are eight points down against Westmeath, I had private thoughts as well," he smiled. "Your private thoughts don't always matter."
Afterwards, Liam Kearns had the look of a man who couldn't wait to get his team back on to the training field.
"We did struggle but we should have had three goals as well. The message at half-time was that it wasn't good enough. We prepared well so I would be happy that the heads were right. But it was our first championship match and it showed. We have to improve on today. I'm not going to stand here and say we don't."
If anyone can get into the minds of the Peter Pans of Gaelic games, then it is Kearns. Laois stars like McDonald, Clancy and Conway and their enfant terrible, Colm Parkinson - used only as a late substitute here - must surely know this year and maybe next is their last crack at the big thing, the senior All-Ireland.
It is all very well being acclaimed for dazzling attacking play and it is all very well relying on skill to guide you past the limitless pluck of a team like Longford. It is sleeves-up time for Laois now if they don't want to be remembered as the Eternal Minors.
LAOIS: F Byron: C Ryan, A Fennelly, J Higgins; P McMahon (0-1), D Rooney, B McCormack (0-1); B Quigley, N Garvan (0-1); R Munnelly (0-1), C Conway (0-1), P Clancy (0-2); M Tierney (0-4, two frees), P Lawlor (0-1), B McDonald (0-2 frees). Subs: P O'Leary for A Fennelly (41 mins), B Sheehan for N Garvan (51 mins), C Parkinson for R Munnelly (68 mins).
LONGFORD: D Sheridan; D Brady, D Masterson, D Reilly; S Mulligan, D Hannify, N Farrell; B McElvaney, L Keenan; T Smullen, P Barden (0-1), P Dowd (0-1); D Barden (0-1), K Mulligan (0-1). B Kavanagh (0-5 frees). Subs: P Berry for P Dowd (55 mins), N Sheridan for K Mulligan (61 mins), J Martin for T Smullen (63 mins).
YELLOW CARDS: Laois: C Ryan (15 mins), C Conway (66 mins), B Quigley (71 mins); Longford: D Brady (48 mins), P Barden (55 mins).
Referee: V Neary (Mayo).
