Sobering afternoon for Royals as visitors inflict heavy defeat
Far superior O'Moore County side exert pressure from the start
Laois...4-26
Meath...1-12
From very early on in this NHL Div 2A clash at Pairc Tailteann today the contest had about as much of a competitive edge to it is as a pre-match puck around.
Well before the interval Laois were disappearing over the horizon leaving the hosts tailing in their slipstream and looking for ways to salvage some pride from what could have been an even more humiliating afternoon than the scoreline suggests.
Arguably they managed to do that - avoid humiliation that is - with a relatively encouraging, spirited second-half display that included a goal from Padraic O'Hanrahan - but the gulf between the teams was at times alarming. Vast.
This was still a mother and father of a thumping for the Royals but, when all is said and done, that was always likely to be the case. Laois have been operating at a different level to Meath for a long time now and it showed.
It wasn't just the skill levels where a wide gulf existed it was in other respects too such as the physicality of the players. Meath players were repeatedly out-muscled in a contest that meandered to a conclusion before about 200 souls on a murky, misty afternoon at the Brews Hill venue. Out-muscled and outplayed.
Yet how else could it be? It's not just the fact that Laois have been operating a different level, Meath manager Seoirse Bulfin has lost 17 players from the panel that won the Christy Ring Cup and gained promotion last year. Instead of a leakage of talent and experience Meath needed consistency. They didn't get that.
To add further to the management woes a number of players were out injured for this game, players such as Sean Quigley. His experience and talent could have proved useful qualities in a contest like this.
The exile of players from the panel has forced the Meath management to bring a raft of youngsters into the fray. Some are ready for that jump up, some need more time.
The downside to having to transform a team - rebuild from the foundations up - is that the side's general inexperience will be exposed, especially when they come up against a slick Laois side, smarting from a home defeat to Carlow a couple of weeks ago.
The visitors had this game signed as sealed by the 20th minute when they led 2-7 to 0-3. At the interval it was 4-12 to 0-7 and you feared for the home team. Would they become the victims of a cricket score; a record defeat; a morale-sapping trouncing?
Meath, did at least show some true grit, real fighting spirit, in the second-half putting together well-constructed, skilfully composed moves - and they did get that goal.
One of the home team's ploys was to loft the ball into the Laois goalmouth from distance. It didn't work expect perhaps once. With 47 minutes on the clock Simon Ennis dropped the ball into the danger zone. The Laois defence, for once, looked dishevelled and disorderly. They struggled to clear. Instead the ball broke to the alert Padraic O'Hanrahan who fired home from close range. It was some measure of comfort.
Despite facing the breeze and the driving mist, Meath only lost the second-half by six points. Other crumbs of comfort might be derived from the fact that eight players contributed scores with O'Hanrahan showing the way with 1-5. One of the few highlights for Meath was a super score from Sean Geraghty from out near the sideline while Simon Ennis, Kris Gorman, James Murray, Nicky Potterton, Jack Walsh and James Toher also contributed with white flag scores.
Yet even Meath's spread of scores stat was comprehensively overshadowed by Laois's figures which show that 12 of their players registered points and goals. The outstanding Aaron Dunphy was their chief marksman with 1-10 while Martin Phelan, Jer Quinlan and Tomas Keyes were others to find the net; sometimes they did so with moves that sliced through the Meath defence.
A forgettable afternoon for the home side was made worse by a leg injury to James Murray. He was stretchered off in the second-half and could be out long term. He was having a fine game too.
It says a lot that one of Meath's heroes was goalkeeper Charlie Ennis. He made a super save from David Dooley in the opening half. After the break he made smart stops from Willie Dunphy and Tomas Keyes.
Only for him it could have been a lot worse for the beleagured Royals. A whole lot worse.
SCORERS
Laois - Aaron Dunphy 1-10 five frees, one 65; Martin Phelan 1-2; Jer Quinlan 1-2; Stephen Maher 0-2; Cody Comerford 0-2; Tomas Keyes 0-2; Ian Shanahan 0-1; Liam O'Connell 0-1; Ryan Mullaney 0-1; Aidan Corby 0-1; Patrick Purcell 0-1; David Doolley 0-1.
Meath - Padraic O'Hanrahan 1-5 frees; Sean Geraghty 0-1; Simon Ennis 0-1; Kris Gorman 0-1; James Murray 0-1; Nicky Potterton 0-1; Jack Walsh 0-1 free; James Toher 0-1.
TEAMS
Meath - Charlie Ennis; Sean Geraghty, Daire Shine, Jarlath Ennis; Ciaran Lonergan, Simon Ennis, Shane Whitty; Kris Gorman, Tom Shine; James Murray, James Kelly, Padraig O'Hanrahan; Nicky Potterton, Jack Walsh, James Toher. Subs - Mickey Burke for Lonergan 27m, David Murtagh for Murray, Domhnall Rogers for D Shine 48m, Eoin Donegan for T Shine 58m, Adam Kelly for J Kelly 63m.
Laois - Enda Rowland; Ian Shanahan, Liam O'Connell, Diarmuid Conway; Ryan Mullaney, Padraig Delaney, Tom Cuddy; Aidan Corby, Patrick Purcell; Martin Phelan, Stephen Maher, David Dooley; Jer Quinlan, Aaron Dunphy, Tomas Keyes. Subs - Willie Dunphy for Cuddy, Fiachra C Fennell for Dooley both 52m, James Duggan for Quinlan 59m, John Lennon for Phelan 66m.
Referee - Niall Malone (Clare).