Joe McDonagh Cup final: Offaly 2-23 Laois 0-26 Offaly captain Jason Sampson lifts the trophy after the Joe McDonagh Cup final. Photo: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile Offaly are back at the top table of Leinster hurling again after finishing with a flourish to down midlands rivals Laois in a cracking Joe McDonagh Cup final at Croke Park. Just a week after the Offaly under-20s claimed All-Ireland honours, Johnny Kelly's men made it two national titles in seven days for the Faithful county as their rise back up the hurling ranks continues.
Offaly went on a disastrous slide, having been relegated from the Leinster SHC in 2018 before immediately suffering another demotion to the Christy Ring Cup, hurling's third tier. Those times are a distant memory now. Goals in either half from Brian Duignan and Oisín Kelly were crucial, but it was the second-half exploits from man-of-the-match Charlie Mitchell that just about managed to hold off a valiant Laois fightback.
Offaly, beaten at this stage 12 months ago in heart-breaking fashion after extra-time against Carlow, were really made to sweat coming down the home straight as Willie Maher's O'Moore side threw everything at them, but they dug deep to survive. The winners got off to a lightning start and Kelly's side were 1-3 to 0-1 to the good in no time, with Duignan, who finished with 1-4, playing like a man possessed in the early stages. The Durrow attacker excellently finished to the net in the third minute after a stray Enda Rowland.
