Laois took a huge step towards the Joe McDonagh Cup final with a comfortable and deserved 10-point win that simultaneously puts a huge dent in the Kingdom's hopes of reaching their first decider since 2022.
There was little disputing that Laois were the superior team in every facet at Austin Stack Park, and they hurled with a lightness of touch that reflected the sunny afternoon in Tralee.
For Kerry, however, dark clouds have now gathered over their campaign after early wins against Westmeath and Down, and they will probably need to beat Meath at home and then Offaly away if they are to reach the final.
On current form Laois will be a good bet to pick up maximum points from their remaining games against Down and Westmeath, and without getting ahead of themselves, there will - and justifiably so - be growing confidence that they can repeat their 2019 Joe McDonagh Cup title success five years on.
Once Laois cracked in the game’s only goal in the seventh minute the visitors were in full control, and it would be generous on Kerry to say they ever looked like winning.
Laois took a six-point lead, 1-10 to 0-07, to half time and were full value for it. Indeed, but for some wayward shooting and two big saves by the Kerry defence, the Leinster men would have been much further down the road to what already felt like an inevitable win at the turnaround.
Liam O’Connell pointed Laois into the lead in the first minute, and four minutes later Fionan Mackessy boomed over an equaliser from a free touching 100 metres out.
Turnovers are valuable currency in hurling, and two in the space of three minutes were worth 1-01 to Laois. First, in the seventh minute Paddy Purcell picked Ronan Walsh’s pocket and played the ball into Tomás Keyes who buried his shot low into Louis Dee’s goal.
Three minutes later Luke Crowley, who played 60 minutes and won a Munster Under-20 football medal with Kerry on Wednesday night, had his pass intercepted by Tom Cuddy who played a one-two with Purcell and fired over to make it 1-02 to 0-01.
Kerry were second best in all areas, with Laois stronger, sharper and slicker, with just a little inaccuracy in their shooting the only thing.
Nevertheless, points from Purcell, David Dooley, Aaron Dunphy and three points from Stephen Maher (two frees and a '65’) helped the visitors to that six-point lead, with Michael Leane, Killian Hayes and Ronan Walsh among Kerry’s scorers.
There was little to suggest Kerry could turn this around, with Laois playing with a stiff wind advantage for the second half, which Dunphy used to score 10 points in the second period.
Mackessy worked tirelessly for Kerry, as did Daithi Griffin, while Ronan Walsh scored three from play and Colin Walsh fired over a couple of late frees for a disappointing Kerry side, but it was very much Laois’s day.
Kerry: Louis Dee, Evan Murphy, Eric Leen, Daithi Griffin, Fionan Mackessy (0-05, 0-02fs), Kyle O’Connor, Darragh Shanahan, Ronan Walsh (0-03), Colin Walsh (0-04, 0-03fs), Dan Goggin, Killian Hayes (0-01), Luke Crowley, Maurice O’Connor (0-03, 0-02fs, 0-01 ‘65’), Michael Leane (0-01).
Subs: Gavin Dooley for D Goggin (41), Brandon Barrett (0-01) for K Hayes (42), Niall Mulcahy for M O’Connor (48), David Woulfe for Crowley (52), Bill Keane for D Shanahan (72).
Laois: Enda Rowland, Ian Shanahan, Ryan Mullaney, Diarmuid Conway, Liam O’Connell (0-02), Padraig Delaney, Tom Cuddy (0-01), Aidan Corby (0-02), Paddy Purcell (0-02), Aaron Dunphy (0-11, 0-08fs, 0-01 ‘65’), Stephen Maher (0-03, 0-02fs, 0-01 ‘65’), David Dooley (0-02), Tomas Keyes (1-01), Mark Dowling, Jer Quinlan.
Subs: Willie Dunphy for S Maher (ht), Fiachra Fennell for T Cuddy (55), Martin Phelan for Quinlan (59), John Lennon (0-01) for P Purcell (64), Ross King for Dowling (68).
Referee: Colm McDonald (Antrim).
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