Limerick 1-25 Laois 1-19
Limerick staged a strong second half display as they claimed a six-point win over Laois in the Allianz HL Division 1B at Kilmallock.
A second minute Zane Keenan penalty goal kept Laois on top in the first half, and the visitors led by 1-09 to 0-10 at the interval, but Limerick launched a comeback on the restart.
A Declan Hannon pointed 65 metre free levelled the game for the first time, after 39 minutes.
Limerick kicked on with Tommy O’Brien netting a goal 10 minutes from the end
With the Munstermen already securing Division 1B status for 2016, and Laois facing a relegation playoff against Antrim next weekend, both sides had nothing to play for, but a competitive game was produced.
Limerick boss TJ Ryan made six changes from the team which lost to Offaly, with goalkeeper Aaron Murphy and forward Thomas O’Brien handed their first league starts of 2015, while Sean O’Brien, Cathal King, David Reidy and Patrick Begley also came into the line-up.
Laois made three changes to their line-up from the team named midweek, with Conor Dunne and Tom Delaney coming into defence at the expense of Brian Stapleton and Matthew Whelan, with Ben Conroy replacing Ross King upfront.
Seamus Plunkett’s side began this contest in a more composed fashion, and after the ball broke inside, PJ Scully was brought down in the square by the chasing Richie McCarthy, with Keenan making no mistake in landing the resulting penalty in the back of the Limerick net.
Seanie Tobin responded with a point for Limerick, and added a second effort from a placed ball soon after, in a game where it took 21 minutes for the Shannonsiders to get their first score from play.
Laois pushed 1-06 to 0-05 clear at this juncture, with Keenan, Patrick Whelan and PJ Scully among the visitors early scorers.
Tobin accounted for three points of the Limerick tally at this stage, with goalkeeper Aaron Murphy also on target, before Tobin registered his sides first score from play.
Limerick finished the half strongly with corner forward Tom O’Brien slicing over a superbly struck sideline cut, before a Declan Hannon point ensured a 1-09 to 0-10 interval score-line.
Hannon also landed the opening score of the second half as Limerick continued to mount a comeback.
The centre-back brought his tally to three points with a well taken 65 metre free to level the contest for the first time, before Tobin pushed the hosts into a lead they wouldn’t relinquish, six minutes after the restart.
A quartet of unanswered scores saw Limerick move 0-14 to 1-09 ahead, with Laois rueing nine wides at this stage.
The Shannonsiders never looked back, and with a quarter-final place secured they coasted to victory, with O’Brien bagging their goal with 11 minutes remaining.
The Patrickswell clubman gave a solid display over the hour, and burst through to finish past Laois keeper Eoin Reilly.
1-19 to 1-13 ahead Limerick looked good, although there was a pulsating finish which saw the teams equally share 12 points in the closing 10 minutes.
Tobin brought his account to 0-12 by the final whistle, rounding off a Man of the Match performance.
Limerick now face Dublin next weekend in the quarter-finals, with a toss for home venue, while Laois will host Antrim in a relegation Playoff.
LIMERICK: A Murphy (0-01, 0-01f); S Walsh, R McCarthy, S O’Brien; C King, D Hannon (0-03, 0-01 65), C Allis; J Ryan, P Browne; D Reidy (0-03), D Breen (0-1), D O’Grady; T O’Brien (1-03, 0-01 sl), P Begley, S Tobin (0-12, 0-08 frees). Subs: J Fitzgibbon for O’Grady (46); T Morrissey (0-01) for Begley (50); D Morrissey for Allis (54); A Breen for D Breen (58); C Lynch (0-01) for Ryan (62).
LAOIS: E Reilly; JA Delaney, C Healy, C Dunne; J Fitzpatrick 0-01, T Delaney, J Walsh; Z Keenan (1-03, 1-00pen 0-03 frees), P Purcell; W Hyland (0-02, 0-01 sl), P Whelan (0-04), C Dwyer (0-02); B Conroy, T Fitzgerald (0-01), P J Scully (0-05, 0-03 frees). Subs: D Palmer (0-01) for Delaney (HT); P Purcell for Dwyer (45)' B Reddin for Keenan (60).
Referee: Paud O’Dwyer (Carlow).
