EIGHT years ago, when Laois and Kildare got together in Portlaoise for a league match, over 10,000 people packed the ground. The pitch was firm and the sun was shining. A year after leaving Kildare, Mick O’Dwyer now stalked the line with Laois. On the field, Laois played with pace, precision and intensity, and won by five points. They headed for the league semi-finals. Kildare were relegated to Division Two.
League matches do not often muster the strength to stand by themselves as a landmark moment, usually leaning on context and hindsight, but that felt like a big result then, and still feels like one now. Few people in Portlaoise that day could remember Laois playing as well for years. After the game, O’Dwyer said the greatest triumph was that Laois were back winning games and believing.
They pushed onto a Leinster title that year. Kildare slipped away into the pack. This afternoon has an equally pleasing sense of two teams meeting at an interesting juncture. After some fine championship seasons with Kieran McGeeney, Kildare’s slow starts to the league don’t worry them so much anymore. For Laois, a good league is essential for their wellbeing. What they have managed so far probably exceeds their boldest projections.
After squandering the best years of a fine team under O’Dwyer, Laois have finally accepted the need to rebuild. They look sharper and fitter than lots of teams but that gap will close fast before the summer. How they react then will confirm the progress they have made, but manager Justin McNulty’s work so far has been structurally sound and carefully planned.
Where O’Dwyer drew the crowds years ago, McNulty’s friendship with McGeeney marks a watershed this time. They grew up in the same parish, Mullaghbawn. They won their All-Ireland medals together with Armagh. When McNulty decided to transfer to a Dublin club, McGeeney snagged him and McNulty’s brother Enda for Na Fianna. In 2006 McNulty took over Mullahoran in Cavan and brought McGeeney up to take a handful of sessions. They won a county title.
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He talked to McGeeney about inter-county management in the past and settled in as selector with Armagh behind Paddy O’Rourke. When Laois enquired about him last year, McGeeney was his next call after O’Rourke.
The results have been good, but the performance and shape of the team have been better. Last year Laois tortured themselves by blowing some teams away before falling asunder in a tight spot. In the league alone, they lost to Down by two and put 0-24 on Westmeath. They beat Kildare and were crushed by Donegal.
The championship told the same story. After drawing with Meath they folded in the replay and lost by 10 points. The familiar old dirges about indiscipline followed them into their qualifier with Tipperary and out of the championship. “It was a disappointing end,” said Pauric Clancy. “Drawing with Meath was good but we lost the replay and didn’t do well in the qualifiers. I’d probably gone stale which was why I opted out early last year. I was there since I was 19 and I’m 31 in July. But I’m enjoying it now.”
The league has allowed them question all sorts of assumptions. Instead of being brittle this year, Laois have dug in. When they were reduced to 14 men against Antrim they still found eight different scorers and won by five points.
A goal from Nigel Crawford brought Meath level late in the game. Laois kicked on to win by three. Celtic Park is trotted out among the great league citadels. Laois routed Derry there by 14 points.
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Common opinion told McNulty Laois were too small. McNulty upturned that notion without moving beyond a rough list of his panel. He has Colm Begley standing at 6 ft3in and Brendan Quigley at 6ft 5in. John O’Loughlin, Gary Kavanagh, Donie Kingston and Paul Cahillane all easily exceed six feet. Clancy is 6ft 5in.
McNulty’s work with his brother in their firm that specialises in team-building collides with the character built through almost two decades with Armagh. His management team is untested, but the vibe is positive.
“Justin has one All-Ireland medal. Paul Clancy has two (with Galway),” said Clancy. “They know what’s required. Donie Norton knows the Laois football side of things. They’ve brought a bit of enjoyment to it, but it’s still only March. In terms of where we are, this is just a good start to the league.”
It’s 15 years since Laois won a league game in Newbridge. Breaking records like that often says something bigger than winning a league game on a damp March day. Eaten bread in spring is always soon forgotten, but some days provide more nourishment than others.
AFL Division Two, Kildare v Laois, Newbridge, throw-in 2.30pm