Tipperary through but Laois and their devoted fans emerge with all the credit

Niall McIntyre

Tipperary 2-25 Laois 1-18

These men of Laois ain’t no flash in the pan.

A red card for Aaron Dunphy midway through the second half proved costly for Laois as Tipperary, buoyed by their numerical advantage kicked onto win this All-Ireland quarter-final with ten points to spare.

The Aaron Dunphy red card which could prove costly for Laois – See the highlights tonight @rte2 and the RTÉ Player from 9.30pm #RTEGAA pic.twitter.com/F3VWsQ44Xv

— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) July 14, 2019

Onto an All-Ireland semi-final against Wexford the Premier County bound now but they’ll have loads to work on in the meantime after this below par display in Croker.

Because in truth, while Tipp led by six points when Bergin was dismissed, this game was still in the balance with the Tipperary backs in bother and their forwards failing to catch fire.

Laois started this Sunday the same way they finished last Sunday. Mark Kavanagh sniped an early free to get the Laois Laois Laois chants going for the first time.

It wouldn’t be the last. The party hasn’t stopped in the midlands, it had only moved and Jones’ Road, Drumcondra was the place to be this time around. Half of Laois must have been on the road for this one, their first All-Ireland quarter final since 1979 and one quarter of them were packed like sardines in a rowdy corner of Hill 16 under the shining sun.

They were the party animals and they never stopped singing all day long.

On the field, that same intensity, hunger and bite was still there. Willie Dunphy would be wise to trademark those points from under the stand such a habit he’s making out of it.

Tipp looked a little bit jittery.

But Seamus Callanan is their captain for a reason. He turned Ryan Mullanney inside out before pointing and it wasn’t long before they went for the jugular.

Jason Forde was fouled and he made no mistake from the penalty. Callanan was still knocking about too

Noel McGrath picked him out with a rangy pass that took out four Laois men and the Drom and Inch man finished it off with gusto and with ruthlessness.

There is literally no hurler in Ireland with better vision than Noel McGrath

Takes out all of Laois with one pass

Some touch from Callanan. Class by Tipppic.twitter.com/zXmNF6g6Ym

— GAA JOE (@GAA__JOE) July 14, 2019

Two goals in four minutes, it would break many a team but Tipp would have to think twice if they thought that was it though. Some uncharacteristic handling errors from Bubbles, O’Meara and John McGrath invited Laois back into it.

Mark Kavanagh and Aaron Dunphy jumped at the chance and it wasn’t long before the Laois party was in full swing again. Ross King won a ball over James Barry’s head and his finish was lethal.

Four points in it at the break. Tipp had work to do.

Laois are no flash in the pan

Tipp 2-11 Laois 1-10 at half-time

We have a game@CentraIRL #WeAreHurling pic.twitter.com/HMpQeuSlxG

— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) July 14, 2019

And they got down to it fairly quickly. Jason Forde drilled home a few frees while Noel McGrath thundered into the game. Dunphy was red carded for a pull on Paudie Maher soon after and that spelled the end of this game as a contest.

Laois to their credit battled on though and their fans kept on chanting, singing and partying even when the game was up.

Nine points down and the game over, those Laois fans on the hill are still chanting Laois Laois Laois and they’re a credit to their county pic.twitter.com/liCa48JSsd

— GAA JOE (@GAA__JOE) July 14, 2019

A huge roar from the Laois fans in the Hill as Jack Kelly earns the man of the match and their team does a lap of honour

Some journey pic.twitter.com/hV8AtdC14h

— GAA JOE (@GAA__JOE) July 14, 2019

Ronan Maher impressed as the game entered shooting practice territory but Tipp will ned to be sharper next time around.

Tipperary

Brian Hogan (Lorrha-Dorrha), Cathal Barrett (Holycross-Ballycahill), James Barry (Upperchurch-Drombane), Alan Flynn (0-1, Kiladangan), Brendan Maher (Borris-Ileigh), Padraic Maher (0-1, Thurles Sarsfields), Ronan Maher (0-2, Thurles Sarsfields), Noel McGrath (0-2, Loughmore-Castleiney), Ger Browne (0-2) Knockavilla-Donaskeigh Kickhams), Dan McCormack (Borris-Ileigh), John O’Dwyer (Killenaule), Niall O’Meara (Kilruane MacDonaghs), Jason Forde (1-12, 1-10f, Silvermines), Séamus Callanan (1-2, Drom-Inch), John McGrath (0-1, Loughmore-Castleiney)

Subs:

Jerome Cahill for Ger Browne (56), Barry Heffernan (0-1) for James Barry (61) Jake Morris for Niall O’Meara (68), Sean O’Brien for Cathal Barrett (72)

Laois

Enda Rowland (Abbeyleix), Lee Cleere (Clough-Ballacolla), Matthew Phelan (Borris-in-Ossory-Kilcotton), Joe Phelan (Camross), Jack Kelly (0-1, Rathdowney Errill), Ryan Mullaney (Castletown), Pádraig Delaney (The Harps), John Lennon (0-1, Rosenallis), Paddy Purcell (0-1, Rathdowney-Errill), Aaron Dunphy (0-2, Borris-in-Ossory-Kilcotton), Mark Kavanagh (0-10f, Rathdowney-Errill), Éanna Lyons (Ballyfin), Willie Dunphy (0-1, Clough-Ballacolla), Charles Dwyer (Ballinakill), Ross King (1-0, Rathdowney-Errill)