Laois 1-20 Antrim 1-19
Cha Dwyer is a horse and cart of a man.
Just when Laois thought they were down, he pulled and kicked and dragged them back up. Just like he has done so many times over these last few years.
The people of Laois knew all along that, to copper-fasten their Division One status, this was the grudge game and despite a disappointing campaign, Cheddar Plunkett’s side are now 100% bomb-proof. They are safe from the relegation trap door and, thanks to Cha Dwyer’s last minute winner, they are sitting pretty for another year.
Which is something All-Ireland champions Limerick can’t yet say.
Cheddar has so often talked about the Ballinakill man down through the years, about his tenacity, his desire and his will-to-win and as he stood on the O’Moore Park sideline this Sunday, the Laois manager must have been marvelling over Cha once more.
In fairness, it was far from a one-man band and the excellent Stephen ‘Picky’ Maher played his part too, as did goalscorer Paddy Purcell. Purcell was the star when Laois sent Antrim back to Joe McDonagh hurling last year and he played a key part here too, in sending the Saffrons down to a relegation play-off against Offaly/Limerick.
Antrim must be wondering what they did to him.
But Purcell has skill and pace to burn, as he showed when scoring that brilliant early goal and any county in the country would be lucky to have him. Purcell and Keyes and Willie Dunphy were all inspirational but it was all about Charles Dwyer. He scored four points from play, one as good as the next but his last point, his point that rose the roof of O’Moore Park won’t be forgotten by anyone who was on Father Browne Avenue today.
Watch Full-Time Highlights of Laois v Antrim in the Allianz Hurling League here!
Full-Time Score:
Laois 1-20
Antrim 1-19
#GAANOW pic.twitter.com/Xmjqac64jN— The GAA (@officialgaa) March 6, 2022
You can watch it from 2.44 in the below clip – just make sure you’ve the sound on.
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