Galway seal progression from Leinster with heavy win

Galway had 14 different scorers as they comfortably got the better of Laois in O'Moore Park to maintain their unbeaten start in the Leinster hurling championship.

There was only six points between the sides at the break but Galway piled on the pressure in the second half and goals from Joseph Cooney and Conor Whelan propelled them to a 22-point victory in the end.

Conor Whelan with 0-08, Cathal Mannion with 0-07 and Tom Monaghan with 0-06 were all very much to the fore too.

On a lovely evening in ideal conditions, Laois opened the scoring with a nice point from play but despite bringing Fiachra Fennell back as a sweeper, Galway were uttterly dominant in the opening ten minutes.

Cathal Mannion, who hit 0-05 in the opening half, Tom Monaghan, Joseph Cooney, Cianan Fahy and Conor Whelan were all on target.

They hit nine points from play in as many minutes to be 0-09 to 0-01 up and it was looking bad for the home side as they struggled to get to the pace of the game.

But Laois withstood that onslaught and hit the next four themselves, two from Cha Dwyer and two from Purcell.

Mannion got his third in response for Galway but a Ross King free and another effort from O'Dwyer from play has Laois back within three by the midway stage of the half.

Mannion and King went on to trade scores and Laois keeper Enda Rowland pointed a long-range free but with Conor Cooney (frees), corner-back Jack Grealish and Joseph Cooney pointing, Galway had a six-point lead again late in the half.

James Keyes hit two in a row for Laois but Galway closed out the half with points from Brian Concannon and Monaghan to lead 0-18 to 0-12 at the break.

Galway got the first four points of the second half to put distance between the sides and though Laois battled