A late Colm Murphy goal was the difference as Laois booked their place in the semi-finals of the Tailteann Cup thanks to a 1-14 to 0-14 win over Limerick at a rain-drenched TUS Gaelic Grounds on Saturday evening.
Both sides were level three times in the opening half before a late James Naughton free gave Limerick a one-point lead at the break, 0-10 to 0-09.
It was, however, Laois who secured the win to put Billy Sheehan's charges into the last four of the competition after outscoring the Treaty men 1-05 to just 0-04 in the second half.
Mark Fitzgerald's side were 0-14 to 0-09 ahead with 24 minutes to go but failed to score again as thunder and lighting dominated the Ennis Road backdrop. They will look back at missing at least five clear goal chances with regret as Laois now march on to Croke Park and the Tailteann Cup semi-final.
Limerick came into the game on the back of wins over Longford and Carlow that solidified top spot in group three. However, with a home quarter-final already in the bag, Limerick lost out to Wicklow in Portlaoise last time out.
Mark Fitzgerald made six changes to the starting 15 against Wicklow with Darragh Murray, who captained Limerick minors last year as they reached the Munster final for the first time since 1998, making his first Championship start.
Laois, who came through group one without a win, required two late scores against London to avoid a Championship exit before securing a two-point win over Fermanagh in their preliminary quarter-final in Enniskillen last week.
Limerick, boosted by home advantage, got off to a flying start and were 0-3 to 0-0 ahead inside just four minutes thanks to early scores from Cathal Downes, Barry Coleman, and James Naughton (mark).
Laois responded well however and were ahead by the 10th minute after Mark Barry (free), Kieran Lillis, Patrick O'Sullivan, and the lively Evan O’Carroll pointed for the O'Moore County.
Laois at this stage began to take full advantage of the space in front of the Limerick half back line, kicking to hand before exposing a stretched Treaty defence with a couple of potential goal scoring chances that came to nothing, along with keeping the scoreboard ticking over with a couple of well-placed marks.
Limerick however were back on level terms by the 15th minute. Cian Sheehan and Hugh Bourke cancelled out a close-range mark from O’Carroll which had put the visitors two points ahead with 12 minutes gone on the clock.
The first real goal scoring chance of the game came a minute later. Limerick right half forward Colm McSweeney was superbly played through on goal, however, the Gerald Griffin’s clubman hesitated, before his handpass across the square to James Naughton was intercepted by Laois goalkeeper Killian Roche.
With 10 minutes to go before half-time, Laois should have raised the green flag themselves but a brave Donal O’Sullivan in the Limerick net somehow managed to block Mark Barry’s effort on goal. The O’Dempsey’s man was played through by Damon Larkin but O’Sullivan did well to deny the Laois corner forward the game’s opening goal.
Limerick should have scored straight away at the other end. Roche however saved low after Cillian Fahy shot towards goal. With the game now flowing from end to end, this quarter-final tie game was certainly beginning to open up.
The momentum however was with Laois at this stage and when Patrick O’Sullivan slotted over from out wide in the 27th minute, Billy Sheehan’s charges were three points ahead – 0-8 to 0-5.
However, two Limerick frees had Mark Fitzgerald’s side back to within a point just after the half hour mark before Roche again superbly saved a close-range shot on goal from the impressive Huge Bourke.
The sides drew level for the third time in the 33rd minute before a late James Naughton free gave Limerick a one-point advantage at the break – 0-10 to 0-9.
Brian Donovan, Robbie Bourke (2), and James Naughton (free) pointed without response after the restart to put five points between the two sides by the 46th minute. That Naughton free 11 minutes into the second half would prove to be Limerick’s last score of a game they looked comfortably in control of at that stage.
When Mark Barry pointed in the 48th minute to stop the rot for Laois, it was the visitors first score in 20 minutes of play.
Laois however went on to score the next two points in a lively but cautious second half as Limerick looked to hold on to their lead.
When Brian Daly slotted over for Laois with six minutes to go, the momentum really began to again swing in favour of the visitors.
And when Colm Murphy raised the green flag three minutes from time, fully capitalising on a mistake in the Limerick defence before rounding O’Sullivan, it was Laois’ game to lose.
As stoppage time fast approached, Limerick opted to go for that all important goal that would have put them a point ahead yet again. It was however Laois goalkeeper Killian Roche who kept his nerve to slot over a ’45 to put three points between both sides - a Billy Sheehan’s men held on until the final whistle.
Laois now look forward to Monday’s semi-final draw and a last four tie to be played in Croke Park on Sunday week.
Limerick: Donal O’Sullivan (capt.); Jim Liston, Séan O’Dea, Mike Donovan; Barry Coleman (0-01), Iain Corbett, Paul Maher; Cathal Downes (0-01), Cillian Fahy; Cian Sheehan (0-02), Brian Donovan (0-01), Colm McSweeney; James Naughton (0-05, 0-04f, 0-01 mark), Hugh Bourke (0-04, 0-01f), Darragh Murray.
Subs: David Connolly for Liston (blood sub 34 minutes – half-time), Robbie Bourke for Murray (half-time), Tony McCarthy for Maher (46 minutes), Adrian Enright for Downes (59 minutes), Davey Lyons for Liston (70 minutes), Tommy Griffin for McSweeney (75 minutes)
Laois: Killian Roche (0-01, 0-01 ’45); Sean Greene, Alex Mohan, Robert Pigott; Padraig Kirwan, Mark Timmons, Patrick O’Sullivan (0-02); Kieran Lillis (0-01), Damon Larkin; Colm Murphy (1-01, 0-01 mark), Paul Kingston, James Finn (0-01); Mark Barry (0-04, 0-02f), Evan O’Carroll (capt.) (0-03, 0-01 mark, 0-01f), Eoin Lowry.
Subs: Niall Corbet for Kingston (45 minutes), Kevin Swayne for Finn (47 minutes), Seán O'Flynn for Kirwan (55 minutes), Brian Daly (0-01) for Lowry (61 minutes), Damien O’Connor for O’Carroll (71 minutes)
Referee: Thomas Murphy (Galway)
