Kerry brought back down to earth in ten-point Joe McDonagh Cup defeat to Laois

Kerry 0-18

Laois 1-25

Stephen Molumphy last week spoke of the potential for Laois to land the Kingdom ‘back on their arse’. Well whatever about that, Laois certainly brought them back down to earth with a bit of a bang.

In as much as this was a genuine contest, it was one Kerry were never truly in. Laois taking control inside the opening minutes and never letting go from there.

The ten-point margin at the finish if anything flattering the Kingdom given the visitor’s level of dominance in the tie, the Leinster men having fourteen missed chances in all, including a pair of first-half goal-scoring opportunities saved on the line by the green and gold.

Willie Maher’s men played a really nice brand of hurling, powerful running, clever and slick passing, in truth they didn't give the home side much of a sniff at all.

The visitors to Austin Stack Park played at a level that suggests they're going to be very hard to stop from winning their second ever Joe McDonagh Cup title at the start of next month.

For Kerry it really was a demonstration of how far they still have to travel, despite a most promising start to this Joe McDonagh Cup campaign. For the first time since they league, they really did look like a developing side.

For all the Kingdom’s impressive fitness, Laois’ physicality was on another level. It meant that Kerry were likely to be on the back-foot here regardless. It meant they needed everything to go their way to stand a chance. Instead they left Laois get an early run on them.

It really was the worst possible sort of a start for the green and gold. Inside the opening ten minutes, the Kingdom had practically gift-wrapped 1-1 for their guests, who no doubt were bowled over by the generosity.

Still regardless of their hosts’ hospitality, Laois looked the better side pretty much from the moment Liam O’Connell swept over the opening score about 15 to 20 seconds in.

The Leinster men looked sharper, stronger, bigger for the most part and a cut above in their technical skills. With that in mind the last thing Kerry needed to do was concede an early goal, least of all through a mistake of their own making as happened six minutes in.

Ronan Walsh – who later shot a really fine long-distance effort – gave away a poor turn-over which was seized upon by Paddy Purrcell, who in turn found Tomás Keyes for the game's opening goal.

The home side, a touch rattled looking now, gave away another possession – through Luke Crowley – for a point by Tom Cuddy. That put Laois four points clear, 0-1 to 1-2, and, while the Kingdom staunched the bleeding somewhat thereafter, Laois continued to hold the whip hand.

Indeed, the table-toppers continued to create a load of chances, two for goal (on 14 minutes through David Dooley, saved by Louis Dee, and on 25 minutes through Aaron Dunphy, saved on the line by Evan Murphy), and another eight for points.

With a conversion rate of a little over 50% in the first half one very clearly felt that Laois, with the breeze to come in the second half, were in a strong position to push on after the break.

Not that they were in a poor position anyway, while they were only three points clear with ten to go, come the half-time break Laois had extended their lead to six, 0-7 to 1-10.

It wasn’t all bad from Kerry, they might even had got in for a goal on 35 minutes when a Fionán Mackessy free dropped short and was pulled upon by Dan Goggin. The net-bulged, the crowd cheered before realising it was the side, rather than the back of the net.

For all that this Kerry side are a second-half side, and for all people felt similarly last week against Down, it really wasn’t looking hugely encouraging for the green and gold facing into the breeze.

There really isn't a huge amount to say about the second half, save for that Laois powered on, turning their six-point advantage at the break to the ten-point margin we saw at the finish.

Even the withdrawal of Stephen Maher at half-time didn’t effect them, Aaron Dunphy shooting ten second half points, the Leinster men not really over-extending themselves. They didn’t really have to.

Bright spots for Kerry? Ronan Walsh stepped up shooting two points from play in the second half. Dáithí Griffin battled ceaselessly. Fionán Mackessy fought against the dying of the light to deliver three points in the second half, but as we say it was always a losing battle.

To keep the margin to ten was, all things considered, maybe not the worst possible outcome. Discouraging certainly, but it wasn’t enough to knock them out of the reckoning for a place in the final.

There’s still two games to play and, while Laois look odds on to make the final, behind them it’s all still to play for. Kerry’s next game, on the road to Offaly the weekend after next, is the key fixture.

It was always going to be.

KERRY: Louis Dee, Evan Murphy, Flor McCarthy, Eric Leen, Dáithí Griffin, Fionán Mackessy (0-5, 2f), Kyle O’Connor, Darragh Shanahan, Ronan Walsh (0-3), Colin Walsh (0-4, 3f), Dan Goggin, Killian Hayes (0-1), Luke Crowley, Maurice O’Connor (0-3, 2f, 1 ‘65), Michael Leane (0-1) Subs: Gavin Dooley for D Goggin, 41, Brandon Barrett (0-1) for K Hayes, 41, Niall Mulcahy for M O’Connor, 47, David Woulfe for L Crowley, 51, Bill Keane for D Shanahan, 70(+2) Blood: Bill Keane for E Leen, 35(+2)-35(+3)

LAOIS: Enda Rowland, Ian Shanahan, Ryan Mullaney, Diarmaid Conway, Liam O’Connell (0-2), Pádraig Delaney, Tom Cuddy (0-1), Aidan Corby (0-2), Paddy Purcell (0-2), Aaron Dunphy (0-11, 8f, 1 ‘65), Stephen Maher (0-3, 2f, 1 ‘65), David Dooley (0-2), Tomás Keyes (1-1), Mark Dowling, Jer Quinlan Subs: Willie Dunphy for S Maher, half-time, Fiachra C Fennell for T Cuddy, 54, Martin Phelan for J Quinlan, 58, John Lennon (0-1) for P Purcell, 63, Ross King for M Dowling, 67

REFEREE: Colm McDonald (Antrim)