Byrne brothers fire Abbeyleix St Lazarian's to first ever ACHL Division 1 title

Abbeyleix St Lazarian’s have won their first ever Laois Shopping Centre ACHL Division title after they defeated Borris-Kilcotton by nine points in the LOETB Centre of Excellence on Sunday morning.

There were only two points between the sides at half-time, but two goals from Colin Byrne and Cormac Byrne within four minutes of the restart proved decisive for Seamus Gleeson’s side.

Abbeyleix 2-21

Borris-Kilcotton 1-15

Cormac Byrne had an early goal chance for Abbeyleix, but his effort was batted away by Eoin Fleming. Fionan Mahony opened the scoring with a great point from midfield. It was then the turn of Borris-Kilcotton’s number 12, Jer Quinlan, to have a shot on goal with Enda Rowland coming out to close the angle and deny him a goal.

Borris-Kilcotton were getting plenty of chances to get scores on the board, but their accuracy failed them as they had five wides registered inside eight minutes. Ciaran Byrne put Abbeyleix two points to no score ahead soon after. Stephen Dunphy finally got Borris-Kilcotton off the mark when he scored after nine minutes. Two frees from Cormac Byrne pushed his side three points ahead before Aaron Dunphy tapped over a score from play and from a free.

The next four scores were traded as Cormac Byrne added two points to his tally while Aaron Dunphy and Matthew Whelan replied for Borris-Kilcotton. The sides were level after 23 minutes when Aaron Dunphy slotted a free between the posts. Cormac Byrne and Aaron Dunphy were the top scorers for their sides as they yet again swapped two scores each. Mahony and Cormac Byrne scored just before the break to give Abbeyleix a two-point advantage at half-time.

Aaron Dunphy scored the first point of the second-half to cut the gap to one, but that’s as good as it got for Borris-Kilcotton as Colin Byrne and his brother Cormac Byrne rattled the back of Eoin Fleming’s net. Killian Byrne also had a goal chance, but his strike along the floor hit the post and went wide.

Aaron Dunphy added two more scores to his tally while Ciaran Byrne and two frees from Cormac Byrne pushed Abbeyleix eight points ahead with 20 minutes to play. The game was then postponed for around half an hour so that an ambulance could access the pitch to treat a supporter, who needed medical attention.

On the resumption, Aaron Dunphy pointed a free with Neil Foyle pointing his only score to cut Abbeyleix’s lead to six points. Abbeyleix took over in the next five minutes as they added four scores from the three Byrne brothers, Colin, Ciaran and two frees from Cormac Byrne. 

Two points from Aaron Dunphy frees were matched with points from Eli Quinn and a free from Enda Rowland. Eli Quinn took his tally to three points since coming on as he split the posts twice. Rowland pointed a second free before he was beaten with a strike from Emmet Jones with the last puck of the game.

Abbeyleix will get their Laois Shopping Centre Senior Hurling Championship campaign underway against The Harps on Friday, July 11, while Borris-Kilcotton will face Ballinakill on Saturday, July 12.

SCORERS— Abbeyleix: Cormac Byrne 1-10 (0-7 free), Ciaran Byrne 0-4, Eli Quinn 0-3, Colin Byrne 1-0, Fionan Mahony and Enda Rowland (frees) 0-2 each. Borris-Kilcotton: Aaron Dunphy 0-12 (0-7 frees, 0-1 65’), Emmet Jones 1-0, Matthew Whelan, Neil Foyle and Stephen Dunphy 0-1 each.

ABBEYLEIX: Enda Rowland; Lewis Churchouse, Oisin Carroll, Eamon Fitzpatrick; Aaron Carroll, Jack Finlay, Liam Doyle; Fionan Mahony, Colm Walsh; Ciaran Byrne, Killian Byrne, Cormac Byrne; Liam Kavanagh, Colin Byrne, Sam Quinn. Subs: Stephen Thompson for Walsh (19-21 mins, blood), Eli Quinn for Walsh (44 mins), Eoghan Fennelly for Kavanagh (46 mins), Stephen Thompson for Ciaran Byrne and Lawson Obular for Doyle (both 54 mins), Rory McEvoy for K Byrne (56 mins).

BORRIS-KILCOTTON: Eoin Fleming; Eoin Daly, Steven Finan, Enda Parlon; Evan Quinlan, Conor Kilbane, Dean Carey; Niall Coss, Eoin Fitzpatrick; Aaron Dunphy, Matthew Whelan, Jer Quinlan; Stephen Dunphy, Neil Foyle, Eoghain Coss. Subs: Ciaran Coss for E Quinlan (38 mins), Evan Carey for Fitzpatrick (44 mins), Emmet Jones for E Coss (49 mins).

Referee: Michael Cleere (Rathdowney-Errill)