Laois ended their 2023 losing streak in style by posting their biggest ever score in championship hurling against Down yesterday.

Stephen Bergin bagged a hat-trick of goals as Willie Maher’s charges got their Joe McDonagh Cup campaign up-and-running with a 7-24 to 0-14 drubbing of Down at Laois Hire O’Moore Park. The midlanders led by 4-12 to 0-7 at half-time and continued to rack up the scores in the second half as they took their frustration out on their hapless opponents.

Also in the Joe McDonagh Cup, the game between Kildare and Offaly at Hawkfield failed to sell-out, despite the furore surrounding the decision to fix the local derby for the Kildare Centre of Excellence where the capacity was restricted to just 900 for health and safety reasons.

Despite it being their sixth game in as many weeks, Offaly ran out easy 2-22 to 3-11 winners after the Lilywhites had wing forward Mark Delaney sent off for an off-the-ball incident after just 10 minutes.

The other McDonagh Cup Round 2 tie between Kerry and Carlow at Austin Stack Park ended in a 0-21 each draw.

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