Killeshin crowned Laois LGFA Junior champions after late surge sinks Portlaoise

Killeshin have put their 2024 County Final heartache to bed as they overcame Portlaoise in the Junior Final on Saturday afternoon in Annanough GAA. It was a nervy start for both sides, but the highly intense second half made up for a low-scoring first 30 minutes. 

Portlaoise were reduced to 14 when Amy Byrne was shown a yellow card during Killeshin’s purple patch. From there, Portlaoise only managed to convert a single point and couldn’t keep Killeshin out. 

Portlaoise started the stronger of the two as an Anna Mulligan free opened the game's scoring, which was quickly followed by Tory Byrne bearing down on goal, but unfortunately, she missed the target. Killeshin's first score came after 12 minutes, after having two wides and two further attacks broken down, but determination saw Aisling Cawley raise a white flag after Niamh Graham's free dropped short. 

Chelsey Dooley had a goal-scoring opportunity, but Aoife Hyland Conlon was there to deny her. Leah Brennan and Chloe Norton pointed one after the other while Cara English replied for Killeshin. Portlaoise broke at pace and a lovely pass from Tory Byrne found Doireann Brennan, who calmly slotted the ball into the bottom corner of the net. Graham (free) and Leah Brennan traded scores to conclude the opening half, giving Portlaoise a four-point advantage (1-4 to 0-3). 

Killeshin emerged from the dressing rooms all cylinders flying and racked up three points in a row to narrow the gap to one. English pointed first, followed by Lucy Gaffney and a second Graham free. Portlaoise responded well as Siobhan Dowling was unlucky not to deal with a shot from Norton, which was fumbled into the side netting. Mulligan pointed her second free moments later pushing them five ahead in the 40th minute. 

Emma Malone and Doireann Brennan pointed for their respective sides before Dowling was alert to deny Mulligan a super effort. The Dowling save seemed to ignite a fire in her side and they went on to put 2-1 past the Portlaoise defence in the space of three minutes. Graham added a third free, while Gaffney went on an unstoppable run and fired the ball to the inside of the net. 

Substitute Ceire Whelan found fellow substitute Chloe Whelan, both of whom had only been introduced moments before, and Chloe Whelan fired the ball past Hyland Conlon to give her side a two-point lead with ten minutes to play. Disaster struck for Portlaoise when their captain, Amy Byrne, was shown a yellow card for a high tackle in the 52nd minute.

The 2024 finalists played a short free and English pointed to take her tally to three. Portlaoise had a goal-scoring opportunity, but Dowling denied Aine Cuddy and Leah Brennan was there to point the rebound, which was their final score of the game. Malone drove up the field and pointed a superb score, leaving three between the sides.

Chelsey Dooley split the posts in the dying minutes of the game, which was the insurance point for Killeshin, and relief was felt for them when Arthur O’Connor then blew the full-time whistle. Killeshin will compete in Leinster on Saturday, October 11, but first, they have a Division 3 final to look forward to next weekend. 

FINAL SCORE

KILLESHIN 2-11

PORTLAOISE 2-7

SCORERS — Killeshin: Lucy Gaffney 1-1, Chloe Whelan 1-0, Niamh Graham (All frees) and Cara English 0-3 each, Emma Malone 0-2, Aisling Cawley and Chelsey Dooley 0-1 each. Portlaoise: Chloe Norton and Doireann Brennan 1-1 each, Leah Brennan 0-3, and Anna Milligan 0-2 frees. 

KILLESHIN: Siobhan Dowling; Amy Heffernan, Orla Davis, Seoighe English; Eadaoin Cawley, Mary Claire Kelly, Emma Malone; Ciara Malone, Lucy Gaffney; Aisling Cawley, Darien Hughes, Niamh Graham; Ciara McDonald, Chelsey Dooley, Cara English. Subs: Ceire Whelan for Hughes (44 min), Chloe Whelan for McDonald (47 min), Julia Dempsey for Heffernan (51 min), and Paige Brennan for Cawley (56 min). 

PORTLAOISE: Aoife Hyland Conlon; Emma Dunne, Aoife Morris, Rachel Byrne; Sarah McDonald, Amy Byrne, Ellen Bergin; Jasmine Burke, Abbeyleix Louise Byrne; Chloe Norton, Tory Dunne, Anna Mulligan; Leah Brennan, Kirsten Keenan, Doireann Brennan. Subs: Aine Cuddy for Abbey Louise Byrne (50 min), Ailbhe Carroll for Norton (59 min), and Amy Walsh for L. Brennan (60 min). 

Referee: Arthur O’Connor (Courtwood) 

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