Clinical Sarsfields defeat Timahoe to book Laois LGFA SFC last-four spot in style

Sarsfields marched into the semi-finals of the championship with an emphatic victory over Timahoe in Mountmellick on Sunday evening, their attacking power proving far too much to handle.

It was Mo Nerney who got the scoreboard moving with an early free, though Sarsfields answered immediately through Clare Conlon from a placed ball of her own. Nerney slotted another before the first major arrived, Lilly Hooney lofting a clever finish over goalkeeper Roisin Dowling to raise a green flag. The home side hit back straight away as Lauren Kearney burst through the defence on a surging run and rifled to the net, with Conlon then adding her second point to leave it finely poised.

Timahoe’s Keelin Moore split the posts with a neat strike, but Sarsfields soon reasserted control with wave after wave of attack. Kearney looked certain for another goal, only for keeper Aoibhe Brennan to pull off a sharp stop. Soon after, Aoibhe Foyle got her first score of the day, though Nerney replied instantly. Conlon then made it three points for herself before Kearney got free again and finished superbly to notch her side’s second goal.

Ava Dempsey tagged on a point for Timahoe, but the closing stages of the half were dominated by Sarsfields. They rattled off 2-3 in a devastating ten-minute burst. Foyle blasted past Brennan for their third goal, before Kearney tagged on a point. Rachel Williams got on the board with a tidy effort, and then came another hammer blow. Emer Conroy sliced through the defence and teed up Conlon, who rifled home Sarsfields’ fourth. Conroy herself landed the final score of the half, sending her side into the break with an 11-point cushion, 4-7 to 1-5.

Foyle resumed the scoring after the restart with a neat point before Kearney completed her hat-trick, tucking away another well-taken finish. Conroy then struck again to extend the margin further, but Timahoe finally enjoyed a purple patch. For ten minutes, they hit five unanswered scores, with Moore and Nerney leading the charge. Katie Donoghue’s fierce shot was blocked down in a crowded goalmouth, while Moore saw another goal-bound effort tipped over by Dowling. Donoghue then slotted a free to round off their best spell of the game.

That brief resurgence was swiftly crushed. Foyle turned provider for Conlon, who smashed home Sarsfields’ sixth goal. Timahoe did find some late reward when Moore pounced to squeeze a shot past Dowling for their second goal, but Sarsfields’ relentless forwards weren’t finished. Conlon tagged on three quick-fire points, Kearney chipped in with another, and their dominance was reaffirmed.

The final minutes were scrappy as Sarsfields finished with 14 players, Sarah Hibbitts picking up a yellow card for persistent fouling after three ticks in referee Robbie Moran’s notebook. Nerney knocked over one last free for Timahoe, but fittingly it was Kearney who had the final say, racing clear in stoppage time to fire home her fourth goal and put the seal on a ruthless attacking display.

FINAL SCORE

Sarsfields 7-13
Timahoe 2-11

SCORERS–Sarsfields: Lauren Kearney 4-2, Claire Conlon 2-6 (0-3 frees), Aoibhe Foyle 1-2, Emer Conroy 0-2, Rachel Williams 0-1. Timahoe: Mo Nerney 0-6 (0-4 frees), Keelin Moore 1-3, Lilly Hooney 1-0, Katie Donoghue (free) and Ava Dempsey 0-1 each.

SARSFIELDS: Roisin Dowling; Sarah Hibbitts, Aoife Hughes, Ava Lawlor; Emer Conroy, Rachel Williams, Grainne Lalor; Becky Williams, Laura Marie Maher; Caoimhe Maher, Lauren Kearney, Aerin Ryle; Aoibhe Foyle, Clare Conlon, Meaghan Dunne. Subs: Nicole Matthews for C. Maher (Temp sub 31 mins-HT), Julie Ann Bennett for Lalor (54 mins), Nicole Matthews for C.Maher and Emma Delaney for Ryle (58 mins), Jane Hyland for Maher (59 mins).

TIMAHOE: Aoibhe Brennan; Niamh Kehoe, Jenny Murphy, Anna Murphy; Lilly Hooney, Aoife Gorman, Heather Bennett; Sarah Larkin, Keira Gorman; Sinead Goode, Katie Donoghue, Ava Dempsey; Mo Nerney, Aishling Quigley, Keelin Moore. Subs: Holly McCarthy for A Murphy and Karen Doyle for Goode (Both 54 mins), Anna Murphy for Dempsey (61 mins, inj)

Referee: Robbie Moran (Graiguecullen)

READ NEXT: Galvin goals crucial as reigning champions St Conleth's edge past St Joseph’s in Laois LGFA SFC