Carroll to the fore as The Heath capture Division 2 title over Emo
Daithi Carroll was immense for the winning side
The Heath are the Laois Shopping Centre Division 2 champions after they had 12 points to spare over Emo in the LOETB Centre of Excellence this evening.
The Heath done the majority of their scoring in the first-half as they racked up 2-6 of their 2-12 total in the first period.
The Heath 2-12
Emo 0-8
It was Emo who would get the game’s opening score as Paddy Hosey was fouled and scored the resulting free after 30 seconds. The Heath replied almost instantly as Daithi Carroll got his side’s opening two points with one coming from a placed ball. Brian Ging was causing problems for the Emo defence and he made them pay as he turned his man and blasted the ball into the Emo net. Emo’s Eibhin Joyce was also shown a black card by referee Brendan Hickey. Ross Meredith pointed a free to break an eleven-minute spell without a score for Emo.
The Heath just kept attacking with ferocity as they scored another 1-2 without reply. Neil Keane curled over a lovely effort off his left foot before Carroll added a goal to his two points after a well-worked team score from The Heath.
Darren Strong raised a third white flag for his side after 18 minutes but The Heath finished the half with two points courtesy of Paddy Fitzpatrick and James Phelan. The Heath held a strong lead at the break, 2-6 to 0-3.
Carroll slotted over a free on the resumption of play before Emo finally started playing fluid football. They got five scores on the trot as well as being awarded a penalty. Paddy Hosey got all five points with one being from play after he hand-passed the ball over the bar. The Emo penalty also saw Hosey being fouled for it as The Heath goalkeeper Joe Walshe brought down Hosey in the square. The referee Hickey had a big decision to make as Hosey had rounded Walshe before he was brought down. He handed out a yellow card much to dismay of the Emo crowd. Darren Strong stepped up but saw his penalty superbly saved by Walshe as he dived low to his right to deny Emo a way back into the contest.
The Heath controlled the game for the last 10 minutes as they kept Emo scoreless as well as adding five more points to their lead. Carroll got two of those, one from play and a free while Ciaran Booth, Brian Ging and Paddy Fitzpatrick (free) sealed an impressive victory for Sean Cotter’s side as they lifted a loft the Division 2 trophy.
Both sides will be gearing up for their respective games in the Senior Football Championship with The Heath set to face Ballyroan-Abbey while Emo take on Clonaslee St Manman’s.