Footballers suffer defeat to Laois in Division 4
Evans’ men unable to build on strong Antrim result
THE Wicklow Senior footballers suffered a difficult defeat at the hands of Laois in their fourth National Football League clash in Joule Park, Aughrim, last Sunday afternoon.
Following the battling qualities shown in Belfast from where John Evans’ men returned with a share of the spoils after a right tussle with Antrim, hopes were high that the county football team were moving in a positive direction following their dismal loss to London in the previous game.
Alas, on a bright but brisk Sunday afternoon, and before a terribly disappointing home support, John Sugrue’s men rolled into town and swiftly brought the Garden County footballing aspirations back to reality with a bang.
Why did Wicklow lose this match? There’s a plethora of reasons, both macro and micro. At the most basic level, Laois are a footballing outfit much further down the road of development than Wicklow. They don’t belong in Division 4 and their stay will be brief.
A look through their starting 15 and you will encounter serious athletes and quality footballers: Colm Begley, Shane Nerney, John O’Loughlin, Kieran Lillis, Paul Kingston and the full-forward line of Ross Munnelly, Gary Walsh and Evan O’Carroll who returned 1-13 (five frees) from the total tally of 1-13. Wicklow’s attacking line bagged 0-03 (two frees). You could read that statistic and know all you need to know about the difference between the two teams.
Wicklow were physically inferior on the ball and were turned over 29 times by a hungry O’Moore County outfit who were able to turn defence into attack with a sublime ease compared to their Wicklow opponents. In fairness to Wicklow’s effort, they turned Laois possession to their own advantage on 20 occasions in this game. It was what was produced after the turnover that separated the teams in the end.
The home side’s strategy of dropping back in numbers and attacking at pace failed to work as effectively as it did in Belfast. One reason for this was that Laois were able to counteract this much better than Antrim were. Colm Begley and Kieran Lillis’ marshalling of Dean Healy when he wasn’t back in his own defence limited the Pat’s man influence on the game and Wicklow cannot do without Healy’s go-forward momentum.
Sugrue’s men’s pressure on the Wicklow attack was constant. Trevor Collins, Gareth Dillon, Finbarr Crowley and Ruaidhri Fennell were relentless in defence, Collins in particular, and he made umpteen sniping runs forward, even bagging a superb point after 21 minutes to complete a devastating 1-02 that knocked the stuffing out of the Wicklow challenge.
Wicklow’s decision making was poor at times. They were guilty of some bad passes for the simple reason that the players in question were out of options and a hoof forward was a better option than being turned over.
Laois won 16 breaking balls, Wicklow nine. The home side were bossed at midfield. Laois won 12 of Wicklow’s kick-outs. Wicklow won one of theirs.
Laois’ transition from defence to attack was smoother overall. At times, Wicklow’s serious work ethic paid off and they forced Sugrue’s men into errors or turned over through ferocious tackling and high numbers.
But John Evans men couldn’t sweep up the field in the manner Laois could, and when they did work the ball into the danger area, the home side didn’t possess the firepower of their opponents largely because Conor Byrne and Seanie Furlong were wrapped up by Shane Nerney and Ruaidhri Fennell with Colm Begley sweeping out in front forcing Wicklow to go wide almost every time.
In the second half, James Stafford was pushed up, but he was woefully isolated with no Wicklow player around to win the breaks and with tired legs unable to carry the soldiers forward quick enough the Rathnew man couldn’t bring his golden touch to bear on the scoreboard save for a superb late point scored under huge pressure.
It had all started so brightly with Rory Finn sweeping down towards the town end on the stand side and rifling over a superb score seconds after Offaly’s Fergal Smyth had thrown in the ball for the start of the game.
The opening minutes were even enough. Conor Byrne made a sniping run but was forced to turn and Darren Hayden’s lofted effort was gathered by a Laois man, while Kieran Lillis went wide at the Hertz end.
The talented Evan O’Carroll got Laois off the mark after a nice move that promised much, much more. O’Carroll went wide shortly afterwards, but the always impressive Ross Munnelly sent the visitors into a brief lead with an excellent point off his trusty left boot.
Quality play from Darren Hayden set Seanie Furlong up with a chance and the Kiltegan man leveled matters at 0-02 to 0-02.
A Ross Munnelly converted free and a Gary Walsh ripper were answered by a Darren Hayden point from a Conor Byrne won free, but all the signs were there that Wicklow were in serious trouble.
Colm Begley’s superb score after 19 minutes made it 0-05 to 0-03 to the visitors and the game was effectively decided in the next three minutes.
A neat one-two on the Wicklow end line between Alan Farrell and Trevor Collins allowed Farrell pick out Gary Walsh unmarked on the 14.
By the time Harry Wilson had closed the full-forward down the big right leg had been swung and the ball was landing like a missile in the bottom corner of Mark Jackson’s net – 1-05 to 0-03.
Walsh from a free and Trevor Collins’ sweet score on the gallop made it 1-07 to 0-03 and you just knew that there was only going to be one result unless John Evans was able to work miracles from the sideline.
The Wicklow boss sprung Theo Smyth from the bench in place of Donard-the Glen’s Conor Healy after 23 minutes. In fairness to Healy, Evans could have chosen any number of players to substitute as he looked to inject some sharpness and energy into the Wicklow midfield area.
Wicklow needed a strong finish to the half. They got the opposite. Kieran Lillis, Munnelly and Evan O’Carroll increased their lead, while Darren Hayden’s free for a foul on Seanie Furlong was Wicklow’s only reply. Laois lead by 1-10 to 0-04 at the break. Wicklow would have the rare south-east wind blowing up the field for the second half. They would need goals, but it was hard to see where they were going to come from.
All Laois had to do was match what Wicklow could throw at them in the second half and that’s pretty much what they did. Wicklow shoved James Stafford up top for most of the second half, but Colm Begley and Shane Nerney easily cleared what dangers lurked aside from Stafford’s point at the death when he somehow managed to horse the ball over the bar after fetching under pressure.
Second half points from Gary Walsh (free), Ross Munnelly (three, two frees), and Evan O’Carroll (two frees) left Wicklow drawing the second half thanks to a superb Rory Finn point, three Mark Jackson frees, a Mark Kenny effort and that Stafford point after 74 minutes, but the damage was done in the first half when a physically dominant Laois scuppered Wicklow’s defensive ploy with quality running, competent passing and very useful shooting.
A word too for the Laois bench. When you can hold the likes of Donie Kingston, Eoin Lowry and Jamie Farrell in reserve, you have an armoury that is unmatched in the basement division.
High-flying Carlow are next for Wicklow. Pride will ensure that the Garden County men will take to the field in Netwatch Cullen Park this Saturday evening seeking some degree of revenge for the O’Byrne Cup drubbing.
Turlough O’Brien’s men are working to a stifling system, but
they won’t be as effective as Laois. Expect a closer game with more goal chances. A Wicklow win would do wonders for players and supporters alike. It will be tough, but very much achievable if Wicklow play to their potential.
Scorers – Wicklow: Mark Jackson 0-03 (3f), Darren Hayden 0-02 (2f), Rory Finn 0-02, Seanie Furlong 0-01, Mark Kenny 0-01, James Stafford 0-01.
Laois: Ross Munnelly 0-06 (2f), Gary Walsh 1-03 (1f), Evan O’Carroll 0-04 (2f), Colm Begley 0-01, Trevor Collins 0-01, Kieran Lillis 0-01.
Wicklow: Mark Jackson; Kevin Murphy, Jamie Snell, Paul Merrigan; Harry Wilson, Ross O’Brien, John Crowe; Rory Finn, James Stafford; Pat Burke, Dean Healy, Conor Healy; Conor Byrne, Seanie Furlong, Darren Hayden. Subs: Theo Smyth for C Healy (23min), Mark Kenny for K Murphy (H/T), Gearoid Murphy for C Byrne 47min), Padraig O’Toole for S Furlong (60min, BC), Eoin Murtagh for P Merrigan (63min), PJ O’Keeffe for J Crowe (70min).
Laois: Graham Brody; Gareth Dillon, Shane Nerney, Ruaidhri Fennell; Trevor Collins, Colm Begley, Finbarr Crowley; John O’Loughlin, Kieran Lillis; Alan Farrell, Paul Kingston, Neill Donoher; Ross Munnelly, Gary Walsh, Evan O’Carroll. Subs: Brian Glynn for A Farrell (44min), Donie Kingston for N Donoher (51min), Eoin Lowry for G Walsh (55min), David Holland for T Collins (60min), Benny Carroll for J O’Loughlin (63min), Jamie Farrell for P Kingston (70min).
Referee: Fergal Smyth (Offaly)