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Details

Date Time Competition Season
3 June 2023 3:00 pm Tailteann Cup 2023

Match Report

Last gasp draw for Laois against resurgent London

A last gasp injury time point from subsitute Niall Corbet stole a somewhat undeserved draw for the midlanders and a place in the preliminary quarter finals after a fantastic second half performance from London was almost enough to send the exiles through to the knock out stages.

Results earlier in the day in Group 2 meant that Laois knew that avoiding defeat in Parnell Park would mean progress to the knockout stages as a third placed finisher but there was still an opportunity to qualify in second place with victory, coupled with an Offaly defeat and an 18 point swing in score difference.

Offaly fell by 16 points but neighbours Laois couldn't capitalise on their shortcomings, relying on a last gasp point from Corbet to force a draw and avoid an embarrassing elimination from the competition themselves.

Laois had started brightly with early scores from Mark Barry, Mark Timmons and Colm Murphy gave them a three point lead inside the opening five minutes with Paul Kingston adding a fourth on ten minutes as London struggled to get to the pace of the game.

Padraig Kirwan and a brace from Kingston threatened to put Laois out of sight but Liam Gavaghan finally managed to get his London side on the scoreboard. He hit two free kicks either side of a Barry point for Laois to get the exiles up and running.

Barry would add another to extend the score to six points again with only 25 minutes on the clock. They’ll be eyeing up that score difference margin if the scoring trend continues for the midlanders. Early London substitute Chris Farley then swapped scores with Kingston as the game ticked over the half hour mark. 

Laois forward Evan O’Carroll opened his account with a point but Enda Lynn contributed his second score of the game for the exiles and leave their half time shortfall to six points.

London were a different animal in the second half and they hit the ground running with their impact subs Farley and Henry Walsh ticking over the scoreboard. Farley’s point was doubled down with a goal from half time substitute Walsh as Lowry and Liam Gavaghan swapped scores.

Laois appeared to have delivered the fatal blow when the ball was sent to the net from Paul Kingston but the officials ruled the score out for a square ball offence. Kingston did manage a point moments later but Farley cancelled that score out with one of his own on 44 minutes.

Laois would secure that elusive goal two minutes later when Mark Timmons applied the finish and put the midlanders five points ahead as time was evaporating for London. Whispers of a heavy lead for Cavan against Offaly may have had an impact on Laois as they appeared to take their eye of the ball in Parnell Park.

Liam Gallagher and Paul Kingston traded scores as Henry Walsh brought it back to a three point game with a score with only a quarter hour left in the game.

Disaster struck for Laois when Sean Greene was adjudged to have given away a penalty to London. Greene received a black card while Enda Lynn dispatched the ball to the net to level matters.

Walsh and Kingston again pointed for either side before Joseph gill and Liam Gallagher added points for the exiles to set up a two point lead as the clock turned into the red.

Laois found a massive get out of jail card as Kingston and late sub Niall Corbet pointed in injury time to seal them a draw and put them through to the knock out stages, but only just.

Laois

1Killian Roche Goalkeeper
2Sean Greene Defender 58'
3Trevor Collins Defender
4Robert Pigott Defender
5Padraig Kirwan 19 Defender 15'
6Mark Timmons Defender 46'
4'
7Patrick O’Sullivan Defender
8Kieran Lillis Midfielder 70'
9Damon Larkin Midfielder
26Colm Murphy Forward 5'
11Paul Kingston Forward 10', 17', 19', 30', 43', 51', 63', 70+2'
12James Finn 20 Forward
13Mark Barry 10 Forward 2', 21', 25'
14Evan O’Carroll Forward 32'
15Eoin Lowry 24 Forward 38'
16Scott Osborne Goalkeeper
10Cathal Doyle 13 Forward
17Seamus Lacey Defender
18Alex Mohan Defender
19Sean O’Flynn 5 Defender
20Kevin Swayne 12 Midfielder
21Ciaran Burke Midfielder
22Dylan Kavanagh
23Damien O’Connor Defender
24Niall Corbet 15 Forward 70+4'
25Brian Daly Forward

London

1Andrew Walsh Goalkeeper
2Daire Rooney Defender
3Michael Clarke Defender
4Nathan McElwaine Defender
5Ronan Sloane Defender
6Cahir Healy Defender
7Eoin Walsh Defender
8Liam Gallagher Midfielder 54', 68'
9Josh Obahor 20 Midfielder
21Ryan Tohill 23 Forward
11Daniel Clarke 25 Forward
12Aiden McLoughlin Forward
13Enda Lynn Forward 58'
27', 33', 50'
14Liam Gavaghan Forward 20', 23'
15Fiontan Eastwood Forward
16Conor Campbell Goalkeeper
10Conor McGonigle
17Oran Kerr Defender
18Eoin Flanagan Defender
19Conor O’Neill Defender
20Christopher Farley 9 29', 36', 39', 44'
22Eunan Curran
23Joseph McGill 21 66'
24James Hynes Midfielder
25Stephen Dornan 11 Forward
26Henry Walsh 36'
54', 61'

Past Meetings

(Round 7)
2-7 6-6
NFL Division 4
McGovern Park, Ruislip

(Round 6)
2-9 0-17
NFL Division 4
McGovern Park, Ruislip

Ground

Parnell Park
Parnell Park, Clancarthy Rd, Clontarf West, Dublin 5

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