Westmeath 3-26 Laois 1-21

Laois are the Joe McDonagh Cup champions.

Laois will compete in the Leinster championship in 2019 after they defeated Westmeath comfortbaly in the Joe McDonagh Cup final in Croke Park on Sunday afternoon. Goals from Ross King, Aaron Dunphy and substitute Stephen Bergin were the difference between the sides as Eddie Brennan's men ran riot on a gorgeous day in Croke Park. Laois were lightning out of the blocks on Jones' Road. Centre forward Mark Kavanagh pinged three early points but the real signal of intent came from Ross King. After the Westmeath backs had done well to dispossess Aaron Dunphy, the Rathdowney Erril forward showed pace and great alertness to pick up on the spot before rifling to the bottom corner of the net. A finish his manager Eddie Brennan would have been proud of. Laois off to one hell of a start. https://twitter.com/GAA__JOE/status/1145315582134444033 Westmeath were keeping it into them though. That man Killian Doyle was typically influential, the Raharney forward slicing his first over from a sideline cut and following it up with a couple of long-rangers that came down with snow. And though Joey Boyle and Aonghus Clarke also showed well for the Lake county, it was all too reliant on Doyle. They looked for him with every ball they had and though he didn't disappoint, Laois eventually moved to quieten him down. And once they had Doyle taken care of, the rest took care of itself. Paddy Purcell stormed into the game in midfield while Picky Maher and Cha Dwyer also played their way into it. The score of the game came from Laois forward Aaron Dunphy, an individual solo goal of some skill, the Borris Kilcotton forward showed pace, guile and a killer instinct to finish it off. https://twitter.com/GAA__JOE/status/1145327470662574080 They'd go into the break leading by four and they completely took off in the second. Substitute Stevie Bergin put the icing on the cake with a late goal Dunphy, Purcell and Kavanagh pointed the way home. Laois are a force to be reckoned with.