Laois soccer club ends 26-year wait for league title
There were scenes of jubilation in Stradbally on Wednesday evening
After a 26-year wait, the celebrations got underway in Stradbally on Wednesday evening as Stradbally Town were presented with the CCFL Division 3 title on Wednesday night.
Fittingly, the newly-crowned champions marked the occasion in style with an emphatic 5-2 victory over Cloneygowan Celtic.
The club also paid tribute to Ciaran ‘Nelly’ O’Neill, who sadly passed away in January and was a valued member of the squad.
From the off, Stradbally dominated the possession and created the bulk of the chances. They nearly got off to a dream start in the third minute. Conor Buggie flew down the wing and whipped in a brilliant cross to Benny Lawlor, but Lawlor’s effort came off the post.
Lawlor came close again in the tenth minute, but this time his effort went over the bar as the home side were frustrated in the opening stages. The home side came close again with 28 minutes on the clock as Justin Lalor won a free with Lawlor taking it, but the keeper was equal to his brilliant effort.
The goal came soon after as substitute Noah Delaney played a ball over the top, and this time, Lawlor made no mistake in finding the net. It was 2-0 six minutes later as Fionn McEvoy played a ball into James Devoy, who slipped it under the keeper to put the champions in full control.
Cloneygowan found a route back into the game as Colin Beale took down Adam Kelly for a penalty kick. Lee Mulpeter stepped up and slotted it past Antony Skelly to make it 2-1 at half-time.
The away side tried their best to spoil the party, equalising straight after the break when Skelly made a great save from Mulpeter, but Jason Gorman was on hand to score the rebound to make it 2-2.
It didn’t last long as Justin Lalor played in Fionn McEvoy, who rounded goalkeeper Nigel Gorman and found the net from a tight angle. It was 4-2 soon after when a brilliant team move ended with Conor Buggie, who put the ball into the net as the game was nearing the end.
The celebrations then got underway after Stradbally found their 5th goal of the night through Tadgh Mullen after great work from Eoin Buggie to round off the perfect night for Stradbally, to end their 26-year wait for a league title.
STRADBALLY TOWN: Jack Larkin, Antony Skelly, Colin Beale, Podge Fitzpatrick, Tom Shiel, John Hayden, Jimmy O’Connor, Sean Devoy, Noah Delaney, Eamonn Delaney, Jack Deegan, Cha O’Brien, Justin Lalor, Cillian Maher, John Clancy, James Devoy, Fionn McEvoy, Jody Dillon, Eoin Buggie, Benny Lawlor, Conor Buggie, Gavin Langton, Jack Langton, Ben Dillon, Caillium Kelly, Liam Clancy, Sam Rooney, Tadgh Mullen, Garry Comerford
MANAGEMENT: Noel Toomey (Manager), JP Cushen, Dessie Rowan and Paul Byrne (Assistants)