Galway 1-19
Laois 0-13
MATTIE MURPHY’S GALWAY eventually came good against Laois this afternoon in Thurles to book their place in the semi-finals of the Electric Ireland All-Ireland minor hurling championship.
The young Tribesmen will face Limerick on August 18 after sealing a nine-point victory against the O’Moore County.
Laois stormed into an early 0-3 to 0-0 lead but Galway had recovered to lead by 0-9 to 0-7 at half-time.
Laois were aggrieved in the 21st minute when full-forward Joe Campion had what looked like a perfectly good goal ruled out. Nonetheless, they were outclassed in the second half, with only Darragh Cripps keeping the beaten Leinster finalists in touch from placed balls.
Galway finished with all six of their starting forwards and both midfielders on the scoresheet and the Westerners were strong in the second half as Laois wilted.
Conor Whelan’s 38th minute goal was a crucial score for Galway but Laois were within a point, 0-13 to 1-11, with 17 minutes remaining.
But Pat Critchley’s team wouldn’t score again after Cripps lofted over a 43rd minute free and Galway reeled off eight unanswered points, including four from Brian Burke, to record a flattering win.
Murphy will be pleased with the end result but Galway, playing their first game in this year’s championship, will have to improve considerably to trouble Limerick.
Scorers for Galway: Conor Whelan 1-2, Brian Burke 0-4, Brian Molloy 0-4 (3f), Adrian Morrissey 0-3, Darragh Dolan & Ronan O’Meara 0-2 each, Éanna Burke & Conor Shaughnessy 0-1 each.
Scorers for Laois: Darragh Cripps 0-5f, Aidan Corby 0-4, Joe Campion 0-2, Ronan Delahunty & Leigh Bergin 0-1 each.
GALWAY: Cathal Tuohy (Tomás Ó’Lorcáin); Maidhc Ó’Conghaile (Micheál Breathnach), Darragh O’Donoghue (Cill na Dioma-Liathdroim), Micheál Connelly (Liam Uí Mhaoliosa); Seán Linnane (Turloch Mór), Shane Cooney (Naomh Thomáis), Richard Doyle (Turloch Mór); Éanna Burke (Naomh Thomáis), Darragh Dolan (Ceapach an tSeagail); Adrian Morrissey (Liam Uí Mhaolíosa), Ronan O’Meara (Port Omna), Conor Whelan (Cinn Mhara); Brian Molloy (Cill na Dioma-Liathdroim), Brian Burke (Cill Iomair Dálaigh), Conor Shaughnessy (Turloch Mór).
Subs: Vincent Doyle (Turloch Mór) for Linnane (47), Jack Hastings (Liam Uí Mhaolíosa) for Morrissey (590, Ronan Bellew (Pádraig Mac Piarais) for Conneely (60), Kevin McHugo (Tomás Ó’Lorcáin) for Dolan (60+2).
LAOIS: Enda Rowland (St Lazerian’s, Abbeyleix); Evan Cuddy (Castletown Slieve Bloom), Ryan Mullaney (Castletown Slieve Bloom), Dwane Palmer (Camross); Ciarán McEvoy (Portlaoise), Leigh Bergin (Shanahoe), Ciaran Collier (Camross); Liam O’Connell (Rathdowney-Errill), Ronan Delahunty (The Harps); John Lennon (Rosenallis), Aidan Corby (Clough Ballacolla), Colm Stapleton (Borris-in-Ossory/Kilcotton); Darragh Cripps (Shanahoe), Joe Campion (Borris-in-Ossory/Kilcotton), Stephen Bergin (Clough Ballacolla).
Subs: Kevin Bergin (Clonad) for O’Connell (35), Mark Kavanagh (Rathdowney-Errill)for Bergin (48), Gavin Dunne (The Harps) for Lennon (48), Ronan Broderick (Clough Ballacolla) for Cripps (56).
Referee: Owen Elliott (Antrim).
