Conor Mortimer marked his return to senior competitive action for Mayo by starring in his side’s 1-11 to 0-8 Allianz Football League Division One win over Laois on Saturday.
After a cruciate injury ravaged the familiar Mayo forward’s 2011, he began 2012 with 0-5 of his side’s tally as they overcame a shaky start to put promoted Laois to the sword in Portlaoise.
Justin McNulty’s hosts started by far the better, yet failed to take most of their chances and allowed Barry Moran’s sliced effort to cancel out Ross Munnelly’s opener.
Mayo then went in front against the run of play, and could have been further ahead. Mortimer fed Alan Dillon and he raced for goal, only to clear the bar with what was a goal effort. Nonetheless the men from Connacht had hit the front.
Things would not stay that way for long, however, as Laois put the next four scores on the board. David Conway was particularly impressive, as he put over his side’s fourth and fifth scores. John O’Loughlin was also shining for the O’Moore men, while Padraig Clancy was a dominant force when it came to winning the high ball.
With David Clarke making a couple of crucial interventions in the Mayo goal, a fine free from Mortimer, after a poor wide previously, had them back within two. Then – somehow – they hit the front as Eoin Culleton was unfortunate to be beaten in the Laois goal. Dillon put in the groundwork before passing inside to Alan Freeman, and his shot deflected off a Laois man to beat the goalkeeper.
A further Mortimer point ensured that Mayo were still in front at the break, 1-4 to 0-6, and he would have a big say after the break, his next point again putting one between them.
Freeman then put James Horan’s men further clear with one of the scores of the night from the right flank, and a Mortimer free soon provided a gap of three as Laois’s earlier dominance faded into memory.
Darren Strong put over Laois’s first point in a quarter of an hour, but another immaculate Mortimer free kept the Leinstermen at a distance.
Another fine Freeman effort was then followed up by a couple of sublime efforts from substitute Enda Varley as Mayo finished in style, though a careless late booking for some Mortimer impudence gave reminder of the other side of his game.
It was the good side, however, that shone through overall in Portlaoise.