Stradbally make winning start against Killeshin in Laois GAA SFC

Stradbally got their Laois GAA Laois Shopping Centre Senior Football Championship campaign off to a winning start with a six-point victory over Killeshin in Ratheniska on Wednesday evening.

Killeshin looked set to seize control of the contest when they raced five points clear by the 20th minute, but Stradbally responded impressively and drew level by the interval, 1-9 to 0-12.

Padraig Clancy’s charges took charge after the restart, hitting 1-6 without reply during a dominant third quarter. Killeshin mounted a late rally and closed to within a point, but Stradbally finished strongly, scoring the final five points of the game to secure a deserved victory.

Adam Farrell opened the scoring for Killeshin inside 30 seconds. Benny Lawlor replied with a free before Killian Roche restored Killeshin’s advantage with a pointed 45. Fionn McEvoy responded for Stradbally as the sides traded scores in the early exchanges.

Evan English and Evan Lowry were both on target for Killeshin while Conor Buggie chipped in at the other end, leaving Killeshin 0-4 to 0-3 ahead after 10 minutes. Stradbally then edged in front for the first time when Liam Knowles struck a superb two-pointer against a strong breeze blowing down the field.

The next 10 minutes belonged entirely to Killeshin as they rattled off six unanswered points. Lowry landed two in succession, while English passed up a goal chance when he blasted over the bar. Conor Heffernan added another before Conor Hassett raised an orange flag to leave Killeshin firmly in control with the elements at their backs.

Stradbally ended a 12-minute scoring drought in spectacular fashion. A seemingly harmless delivery from David Donohue found Joe Larkin, but the forward had other ideas. He surged past several defenders before rifling an unstoppable finish beyond Roche and into the net.

Roche responded with his third point of the half to stretch Killeshin’s lead back to four, but Stradbally finished the opening period strongly with 1-4 unanswered. Eoin Buggie pointed either side of a two-point free from goalkeeper Garry Comerford, and Stradbally headed for the dressing room level and with the wind to come in the second half.

The winners flew out of the blocks after the restart, registering 1-6 without reply in the opening 15 minutes. David Donohue opened the scoring from a free before Tom Shiel curled over an excellent two-pointer. Donohue followed with another point before Stradbally struck for their second goal.

Roche’s kick-out following a Donohue score was intercepted by Lawlor, who combined neatly with Shiel before crashing a powerful finish to the net and giving Stradbally real momentum.

Stradbally were reduced to 14 men for 10 minutes when Conor Buggie received a black card in the 39th minute, but it had little impact as Killeshin managed only a single score during that spell.

Donohue continued to impress, adding two more points. The second arrived after Roche was dispossessed outfield and Stradbally broke quickly, with Donohue applying the finishing touch. Roche eventually ended Killeshin’s 22-minute wait for a score with a two-point free, but Donohue restored Stradbally’s nine-point advantage with his sixth score of the evening.

Killeshin refused to go away and produced a dramatic burst, scoring 2-2 in four minutes to cut the deficit to just one point entering the closing stages. Heffernan and Lowry supplied the points, while Lowry also struck their first goal. Their second arrived in fortunate circumstances when a Michael Doran effort ballooned high into the air before dropping kindly for Farrell, who volleyed to the net.

However, Stradbally responded exactly as required and booked their place in the Round 2 winners’ section by finishing with the final five points of the contest. McEvoy started the run before substitute Dineen made an immediate impact with three scores from the bench. Conor Buggie added the other point as Stradbally closed out a deserved victory.

FINAL SCORE

Stradbally 2-22

Killeshin 2-16

SCORERS– Stradbally: David Donohue 0-6 (0-1 free), Benny Lawlor 1-1 (0-1 free), Joe Larkin 1-0, David Dineen 0-3 (0-1 free), Liam Knowles (two-pointer), Garry Comerford (two-point free), Tom Shiel (two-pointer), Conor Buggie, Eoin Buggie and Fionn McEvoy 0-2 each. Killeshin: Evan Lowry 1-3, Killian Roche 0-5 (two two-point frees, 0-1 45), Adam Farrell 1-1, Conor Heffernan, Evan English and Conor Hassett (two-pointer) 0-2 each, Eoin Lowry 0-1.

STRADBALLY: Garry Comerford; Sean Maher, Liam Knowles, Conor McDonald; Eoin Buggie, James Devoy, Ben Dillon; Jack Deegan, Fionn McEvoy; Damien Murphy, Conor Buggie, Joe Larkin; Benny Lawlor, Tom Shiel, David Donohue. Subs: David Dineen for Larkin (41-43 mins, blood), David Dineen for Lawlor (55 mins)

KILLESHIN: Killian Roche; Jack Brennan, Dave McDermott, James Davis; Michael Gaffney, Cathal Byrne, Pauric Moore; Michael Doran, Conor Heffernan; Adam Farrell, Evan Lowry, Jack Milton; Evan English, Conor Hassett, Eoin Lowry. Subs: Leeson Hughes for Moore (39 mins), James Doogue for Byrne (47 mins), Pa Fitzgerald for Brennan (51 mins)

Referee: Brendan McCann (Portarlington)