Abbeyleix secure semi-final spot after getting the better of Borris/Kilcotton

St Lazarian’s Abbeyleix 0-21 

Borris/Kilcotton 1-14 

 ABBEYLEIX clinched the top spot and a place in the semi-finals of the Laois Shopping Centre IHC with a four point win away to Borris/Kilcotton on the new pitch in O'Keeffe Park on Thursday evening.

The conditions remained heavy after another sweltering day and like every field in the country, the rock hard surface made life tricky for the players once the ball hit the deck, though the sides put on a good showing in what was a huge game in Group A.

A win for either side would have seen them straight into a semi-final, but it's The Fung who have that honour and Borris/Kilcotton will be facing the team that finishes second in Group B at a neutral venue.

The Harps defeated Clough-Ballacolla in the other game in Group A, but with score difference rules applying, Abbeyleix finished top, The Harps second and Borris/Kilcotton third.

Abbeyleix looked a touch sharper from the off and saved their best performance until it mattered, keeping the Borris/Kilcotton backs under serious pressure, resulting in a myriad of frees that Stephen Thompson duly dispatched, finishing with fourteen points in total with four coming from play.

Despite having to do a lot of work at the back for the opening thirty minutes, Borris/Kilcotton kept to within just a point by half time with David Ryan slotting three from play in an impressive display from half forward.

Lewis Churchouse was also excellent for Abbeyleix, starting out at centre-back and nabbing a couple of scores from play before having to take a backseat role and slot in at full-back in place of the injured JJ Murphy after 20 minutes, but it was no trouble to Churchouse who cleared a huge amount of ball in his new role.

Borris/Kilcotton kept in touch throughout the second half and got a vital goal from Evan Gray midway through the half but ultimately their ill-discipline cost them along with Dan Jones and Steven Reilly both impressing off the bench for Abbeyleix which meant the visitors held out for the win.

Ciaran Coss and David Ryan put Borris/Kilcotton into an early lead with two fine scores and Sean Fitzpatrick soon added a free, but Abbeyleix soon fired back to take a lead that they never relinquished.

Abbeyleix raised five white flags from play in the opening ten minutes with the first coming from Stephen O'Donnell, followed by an excellent brace from range by Churchouse and a quick double from Stephen Thompson.

Evan Gray pointed for Borris/Kilcotton to stem the tide momentarily before Thomspon struck on the double once more and Mark Cahill pucked over from way out the field to put four in it at the midway mark of the half.

Points from Kyle Abraham and David Ryan came for the hosts before Abraham saw a shot at goal saved by Kyle Mullen and Borris/Kilcotton had a second go at it when the ball landed in the path of Fitzpatrick who blazed his shot wide.

Fitzpatrick pointed a free moments later and Ryan notched his third from play to bring the sides level briefly before O'Donnell struck from play and Thompson landed two more frees.

Late scores from Daire Fogarty and Fitzpatrick made it 0-11 to 0-10 in favour of Abbeyleix at half time.

Ryan and Thompson traded scores to open the half before Noel Delaney fired over excellently for the hosts only to be matched with an excellent point from sub Dan Jones with his first possession.

The next five scores all came from frees, but crucially it was Thompson who outscored Fitzpatrick by four to one as Abbeyleix took a four point lead heading into the final fifteen minutes.

Borris/Kilcotton looked to be quickly running out of ideas before Evan Gray found himself one on one with Mullen off a quick break and he finished brilliantly into the corner before coming out on the wrong side of a big collision.

Thompson settled Abbeyleix once again with a free before Fitzpatrick replied with one right in front of the posts after a foul was advanced twice by Alan Doheny due to protestations from The Fung.

That would be Borris/Kilcotton's final score of the game however as Abbeyleix saw out the win with two from Thompson and a second from Jones to seal the victory.

SCORERS:

Abbeyleix: Stephen Thompson 0-14 (0-10fs), Lewis Churchouse, Dan Jones and Stephen O'Donnell 0-2 each, Mark Cahill 0-1.

Borris/Kilcotton: Sean Fitzpatrick 0-5 (0-4fs, 0-1 65), Evan Gray 1-1, David Ryan 0-4, Ciaran Coss, Daire Fogarty, Noel Delaney and Kyle Abraham 0-1 each.

ST LAZARIAN’S ABBEYLEIX: Kyle Mullen; Conor Dooley, JJ Murphy, Tom O'Keeffe; Dara Phelan, Lewis Churchouse, Mark Cahill; Michael Parlon, Declan Iguma; Sean O'Donnell, Cillian McEvoy, Stephen Thompson; Cathal Noone, Kevin Fitzpatrick, Darragh Ryan.

Subs: Liam Doyle for Murphy (20m, inj), Dan Jones for Noone (35m), Steven Reilly for L Doyle (45m), Cathal Doyle for Ryan (46m).

BORRIS/KILCOTTON: Mick Grehan; Eoin Daly, Keilan Kelly, Cillian O'Riordan; Ciaran Coss, Jim Fitzpatrick, Willie Campion; Frank McGovern, Evan Carey; Daire Fogarty, Noel Delaney, David Ryan; Evan Gray, Sean Fitzpatrick, Kyle Abraham.

Sub: Timmy Guidera for Ryan (53m).

Referee: Alan Doheny (Castletown)