Westmeath start Tailteann Cup with win as Duggan scores five first-half goals for Laois hurlers

Group 1

Sligo 2-15 Tipperary 2-10

Group 2

Westmeath 4-24 Antrim 1-16

Group 4

Fermanagh 2-18 Carlow 3-18

Joe McDonagh Cup Round 3

Laois v Kerry, Laois Hire O’Moore Park, Portlaoise, 4pm

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SLIGO, WESTMEATH AND Carlow all began their Tailteann Cup campaigns with victories today while Laois were convincing winners against Kerry in the Joe McDonagh Cup, with James Duggan helping himself to five first-half goals.

Sligo got the better of Tipperary with Alan McLoughlin and Pat Spillane scoring vital goals while Paudie Feehan and Seán O’Connor raised green flags for Tipperary.

The Premier County made the brighter start as Feehan found the net after just four minutes. Sligo’s first score didn’t arrive until the seventh minute as Niall Murphy split the posts.

Spillane’s goal in the 23rd minute pushed Sligo into a 1-7 to 1-5 lead and McLoughlin supplied Sligo’s second goal shortly before half-time to give Sligo a six-point advantage.

Tipperary struck back as O’Connor converted a penalty while Sligo’s Eddie McGuinness received a black card with just three points separating the sides at the break.

Sligo suffered another setback in the early stages of the second half as Shane Deignan was also dismissed with a black card. Tipperary made use of their numerical advantage by claiming the first three points of the second half.

A Spillane point helped restore Sligo’s three-point lead in the 53rd minute and they continued to tag on the scores to see out the result.

Luke Loughlin inspired Westmeath to a huge win over Antrim, registering a massive tally of 1-17 which included five two-pointers. Sam McCartan, Matthew Whittaker and Danny McCartan also found the net as Westmeath overwhelmed Antrim in Cusack Park.

Antrim were 0-5 0-2 in front after 12 minutes with Dominic McEnhill and Patrick McBride kicking two-pointers. Goals from brothers Sam McCartan and Danny McCartan helped Westmeath into a five-point lead before a Kavan Keenan goal left just one point between them in the 25th minute.

Loughlin scored a penalty for Westmeath less than five minutes later as Westmeath took a 3-9 to 1-10 lead into the half-time break.

Antrim brought the contest back to just three points in the second half before Westmeath took control. Whittaker provided Westmeath’s fourth goal of the day in the 44th minute while a two-pointer from Loughlin in the 53rd minute put Westmeath out of sight on 4-19 to 1-15. He landed another score from outside the arc just before the hooter to cap off an emphatic win for Westmeath.

Carlow registered their first win under new manager Joe Murphy by causing an upset in a high-scoring battle with Fermanagh.

Mikey Bambrick finished with 2-4 while John Murphy also scored a vital goal to help propel Carlow to victory.

Bambrick got the first of his two goals after just six minutes while Murphy lifted a green flag six minutes later to give Carlow a brilliant start.

Fermanagh responded with a Conor Love penalty and the sides were level after 20 minutes.

Two-pointers from Bambrick and Kevin Murphy put Carlow five points in front and they kept that advantage at half-time, leading by 2-9 to 1-7.

A Joe McDade goal left Fermanagh trailing by just three points just after the restart. Carlow were just one point in front with 56 minutes on the clock before Conor Doyle scored one of two crucial two-pointers in the final quarter.

Bambrick’s second goal arrived in the 65th minute and Doyle’s second two-pointer helped seal the win for Carlow just before the hooter.

Joe McDonagh Round 329mins 1st halfLaois : 5-10(25)Kerry: 0-7(7)James Duggan's 5th goal!! First Laois' 5th goal in a row since Billy Delaney in 1939!!

Joe McDonagh Round 3. 1st half start: 16:01 11-05-25 Laois v. Kerry

— Laois GAA (@CLGLaois) May 11, 2025

Laois made it three wins from three in the Joe McDonagh Cup, earning a 19-point victory against Kerry.

James Duggan scored an incredible five goals in the first half for Laois as they wrapped up the result by half-time, leading by 5-12 to 0-9.

Killian Hayes scored a goal for Kerry late in the second half, but Laois were already assured of the win.

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