Goals galore as Park-Ratheniska get the better of Ballylinan in Laois GAA IFC semi-final

Park-Ratheniska sealed their place in the Laois Shopping Centre IFC final with a commanding victory over Ballylinan in Stradbally on Sunday morning, producing a performance that was both ruthless and clinical.

Star man Cian Nolan lit up the contest with a personal haul of 2-6, setting the tone as Park-Ratheniska laid the platform for success with a superb first-half display, made all the more impressive given they were playing against a strong breeze blowing down from the Windy Gap.

Ballylinan, aided by the elements in the opening half, struck first blood when Ciaran Farrell split the posts with a two-point score from their first attack. However, that early boost was quickly snuffed out. Park-Ratheniska took control of possession, moving the ball with purpose and punishing Ballylinan every time chances came their way. James Connolly converted a free after Jimmy Langton was fouled, before Langton himself drilled a thunderous effort to the net following a slick pass from Nolan.

Nolan was everywhere in those opening exchanges, punching a point, curling over another, and taking heavy punishment from the Ballylinan defence in the process. A late hit from Pauraic McEvoy left the Park-Rathenisla support furious when the referee only showed a yellow, but Nolan’s response was to dust himself off and keep delivering. He clipped over another neat score before Ryan Brady finally got Ballylinan moving again from a free.

Then came the hammer blow. Park-Ratheniska struck three goals in devastating fashion before the break, with Nolan getting two and Tom Fingleton rifling home another in a blistering purple patch.

There was a worrying moment when Nolan departed after a clash of heads with Brady left him bloodied, but even with their talisman off the pitch, Park-Ratheniska had already inflicted major damage. Ballylinan mustered a free from Gary Walsh that just about sneaked inside the post, but they trailed 4-4 to 0-5 at the interval and still had to face the wind in the second half.

To their credit, Ballylinan came out fighting after the restart. Within four minutes, they had hit 1-2, Brady pointing a free, Walsh burying a goal, and then tagging on another dead ball. Suddenly, the margin was down, and the game seemed alive again.

But Park-Ratheniska weren’t for folding. Though they went almost 13 minutes without a score, Connolly eventually settled them with a free. Moments later, they forced a turnover from the Ballylinan kickout, allowing the energetic Podge Dunne to surge through the centre, exchange passes with Noah Fingleton, and palm to the net for Park’s fifth goal.

That proved the killer punch. Ballylinan responded through Seamus Lacey, but the return of Nolan in a fresh jersey added the final gloss. With his very first touch, he fired over a point, before adding a two-pointer soon after to round off a day he will long remember.

Park-Ratheniska now march into a county final clash with Arles-Kilcruise, a repeat of their opening-round meeting, which Park won.

SCORERS – Park-Ratheniska: Cian Nolan 2-6 (one two-pointer), Jimmy Langton, Podge Dunne and Tom Fingleton 1-0 each, James Connolly 0-2 (both frees). Ballylinan: Gary Walsh 1-3 (one two-point free), Cieran Farrell 0-2 (two-pointer), Ryan Brady 0-2 (both frees), Seamus Lacey 0-1

PARK-RATHENISKA: Cathal Tierney; James Newell, Colm Brennan, Benny Greene; Richie Hitchcock, Rian McEntee, Jimmy Langton; Podge Dunne, Killian O’Connor; Noah Fingleton, Cian Nolan, Tom Fingleton; James Connolly, Brian Dunne, Kieran Delaney. Subs: Sean Tierney for Nolan (29 mins, inj), Cian Nolan for N Fingleton (53 mins), Peter Conroy for McEntee and DJ O’Connell for T Fingleton (58 mins), Ross Holmes for B Dunne (61 mins)

BALLYLINAN: Podge Walsh; Jesse McEvoy, Micheal Downey, Paddy Julian; Conor Walsh, Darragh Loughman, MacKenzie McIvor; Pauraic McEvoy, Seamus Lacey; Ryan Brady, Jamie Farrell, Jack Julian; Cieran Farrell, Gary Walsh, Cathail Dunne. Subs: James Murphy for C Walsh (HT), Niall Hickey for Dunne (HT), Andy McEvoy for C Farrell and Bobby Walsh for McIvor (Both 58 mins), Joey Walsh for J Julian (60 mins)

REFEREE: Des Cooney (St Joseph’s)

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