Three-goal Kingston fires Laois into last four
WHILE Kiev might have been a more likely venue for a Saturday night hat-trick, Paul Kingston proved the hero for Laois last night as his second-half treble sent them on their way to a welldeserved win over Westmeath in the quarter-finals of the Leinster SFC.
Laois played with the wind in the opening half but only came to life towards the end of the period. Having trailed 0-5 to 0-2 at one stage, John Sugrue’s charges rattled off the last six points of the half to lead 0-10 to 0-6 at half time with Donal Kingston proving a right handful for the Lake County defence on the edge of the square.
While many expected him to be the match-winner, it was his brother Paul who came to the fore in the second half. After firing his opening goal on 46 minutes, he got his second four minutes later before Westmeath got a goal of their own when Mark McCallon hit the net to make it a four-point game with 13 minutes to go.
Kingston completed his hattrick with 10 minutes remaining when he sent a bullet to the top corner to leave it 3-11 to 1-10.
Westmeath introduced John Heslin with 15 minutes to go but he couldn’t stop the Laois men’s momentum as substitute Evan O’Carroll hit 1-1 in the space of two minutes to really seal the deal with five minutes to go.
Laois now move on to face the winners of today’s clash between Kildare and Carlow in the Leinster semi-final, while Westmeath are qualifiers bound.