Laois made a winning start to the Tailteann Cup with a nine-point win over Waterford this afternoon.
In glorious sunshine in O'Moore Park, Laois did the damage in the first-half against the side who finished bottom of Division 4.
That said, Laois didn't have it all their own way and Waterford led with 15 minutes on the clock.
Laois kicked ten points in a row between the 15-minute mark and half-time to give themselves a buffer, from which Waterford would not recover.
Niall Corbet, Ronan Coffey and championship debutant Cathal Lee (free) fired Laois into a three-point lead early on, but two two-point frees from the impressive Jason Curry as well as a regular one, soon had Waterford 0-05 to 0-03 ahead.
Ben Dempsey pulled one back for Laois after a couple of delightful shimmies and the sides were level again when Mark Barry got his first score.
Michael O'Brien edged Waterford in front with another free but from that point on in the half, Laois dominated.
Brian Byrne, Corbet, Mark Barry and Ronan Coffey all pointed, before Killian Roche came up to land a two-point free.
Byrne, Coffey and Damon Larkin added further points from play as did debutant Lee, his latest effort being a smashing two-point score.
Ciarán Walsh fisted a goal for Waterford after a long free from Jason Curry dropped short, and Conor Murray pointed from play, but further scores from Lee and Barry sent Laois in at the break leading 0-19 to 1-07.
The second-half was a non-event. Laois kept the scoreboard moving without ever threatening to put up a massive tally. Waterford battled on and got a few nice scores in the context of a challenge match style atmosphere.
Murray and Curry got a couple of nice two-pointers. From a Laois point of view, it was encouraging to see Shaun Fitzpatrick get on the field – while Killeshin’s Michael Doran got two points from play on what was his first competitive senior appearance.
Waterford kept plugging away and Curry finished the game with ten points in total but Laois prevailed.
Laois face Wicklow next, while Waterford will host Offaly in Round 2.
Key: tp - two-point score; tpf - two-point free; tpm - two-point mark
Laois: Killian Roche (0-04, 1tpf, 1f); Ben Dempsey (0-01), Trevor Collins, Liam Knowles; Paddy O’Sullivan, Seamus Lacey (0-01), Fionn Holland; Damon Larkin (0-01), Conor Heffernan; Niall Corbet (0-02), Brian Byrne (0-03), Kevin Swayne (0-01); Mark Barry (0-04, 1m, 1f), Cathal Lee (0-02, 1tp, 1f), Ronan Coffey
Subs: Michael Doran (0-02) for Barry (HT), Sean O’Neill for Lacey (55'), Shaun Fitzpatrick (0-01) for Larkin (61'), Jack Lennon for Jonah Kelly for Byrne (71')
Waterford: Paudie Hunt; Liam Fennell, Conor O Cuirrín; Caoimhín Walsh, Brian Everard, Adam Crawford; Rory Furlong, Donie Fitzgerald; Michael O’Brien (0-02, 2f), James Power, Conor Murray (0-04, 1tp); Dylan Guiry, Ciarán Walsh (1-00), Jason Curry (0-10, 3tpf, 2f)
Subs: Stephen Curry for Crawford (39'), Tommy Martin for Fennell (39'), Joe Booth for Guiry (55'), Caolán MacCathmhaoil for Fitzgerald (61), Ciarán Looney for Everard (inj – 62)
Referee: Derek O'Mahoney (Tipperary)
