THE U-21 footballers went oh so close to making it three wins from three matches for Wicklow teams at the weekend

Two missed goal opportunities midway through the first half cost Wicklow dearly in the end as they crashed to defeat to Laois by three points in the Leinster championship for a second successive year at Aughrim on Saturday.

Laois were a physically bigger and stronger outfit, were better at launching lightening attacks, but notwithstanding that Wicklow battled gamely all way and were applying strong pressure at the finish as they went in search of an equaliser.

Four points was the biggest margin between the teams at any stage and the sides were level on four occasions in the first half before Laois edged in front 0-7 to 0-6 at the break.

Lanky midfielder Donal Kingston was giving the O'Moore men the pull at midfield with the aid of his partner Brian Gavin, while corner-forward Paul Cahillane was applying the clinical finish up front, from play as well as frees, to ensure that Wicklow were kept in check.

Kingston opened the scoring for Laois in the second minute with a well taken point after wing-back Conor Boyle and Cahillane had done the vital spadework to set up the opportunity.

Minutes later Wicklow's keeper Lorcan Trainor denied Laois a goal with a good save from a Gary Walsh testing shot, but the breaking ball was recycled to centre-forward John Booth for another point.

Wicklow had the advantage of the wind in the first half but took a little longer than Laois to get into their stride. Perhaps it took the team time to adjust to changes to the selected fifteen to accommodate Ciaran Walsh in attack.

It meant shifting the McLoughlin brothers from the positions they occupied against Longford in their opening championship match, with Paul dropping back to full-back and Anthony switching from centre-forward to Paul's original number-six berth.

And both Blessington brothers adapted well to their new environment and turned in fine displays for Wicklow.

Wicklow got their show on the road after five minutes when Shane Carthy fed the ball to Ciaran Walsh, who drew the free off his marker and then pointed. Dean Siney, who has consistently been the team's top scorer, brought the sides level with a good point on 8 minutes.

Using size and strength, Laois were able to muscle their way forward at speed, whereas Wicklow were that bit slower and laboured with their attacks.

However, after Gary Walsh had pointed Laois back in the lead, Wicklow had two gilt edge goal chances in the space of two minutes but unfortunately reaped no reward from either.

A cross from Walsh was batted down by Shane Carthy into the path of full-forward Peadar Burke who was lurking outside the box with menacing intent. While Laois keeper John Dunphy brought off a splendid save, perhaps Peadar Burke should have got something from his shot.

Two minutes later the Laois goalie made an equally fine save from Roddy Carroll, pushing the ball around the post for what turned-out to be a fruitless '45' for Wicklow. Those misses were to prove crucial in the tight finish to the game that was to ensue.

Wicklow were not despondent, however, and showed a lot of character as they hit back for rapid fire points from Paul Cunningham, Shane Carthy and Peadar Burke in the last ten minutes of the half and take the lead 0-5 to 0-4 for the only time of the match.

In the closing six minutes Cahillane scored three smart points for Laois, one from a free, to edge the O'Moore men ahead by 0-7 to 06 at the break.

We feared that Laois, now with the wind at their backs, might be about to repeat last year's 1-18 to 1-4 second half annihilation of Wicklow when they stretched their lead to four points, 0-10 to 0-6, after ten minutes of the new half.

But that was to be the biggest margin between the sides for the entire match as Wicklow stepped up to the mark in the second half, with the McLoughlins anchoring their defence and Adam Merriman upping his game at midfield.

Wicklow battled back to cut the deficit to a single point, 0-9 to 0-10 entering the last ten minutes – the scores supplied by Siney, and midfielders Adam Merriman and Brendan McGarr - but despite applying strong pressure to the end they were unable to finish the task.

And Cahillane came with a late brace for Laois to seal the deal of another win for the O'Moore men.

Midway through the second half Wicklow lost their corner-forward Shane Carthy who had to be removed to hospital by ambulance after the game after sustaining a suspected neck whiplash following a collision with one of his own players.

Scorers Laois: Paul Cahillane (0-6, two frees), Gary Walsh (0-2, one free), John Booth (0-2), Donal Kingston (0-2), Brian Smith (0-1).

Wicklow: Dean Siney (0-4, two frees), Ciaran Walsh (0-1 free), Adam Merriman, Brendan McGarr, Shane Carthy, Peadar Burke, Paul Cunningham (0-1 each).

- MARK KENNEDY