Ballyroan stun the county champions with opening round win

Ballyroan 1-11 

Portlaoise 1-8 

BALLYROAN caused a massive upset after opening up their LGFA Senior Championship campaign with a three-point victory over county champions Portlaoise in Ballyroan on Thursday evening.

The home side led from start to finish and withstood a fightback from Portlaoise in the second half to pick up an opening round victory.

Kate Whelan was deadly on the frees and finished up with eight points as she gave an exhibition of free taking right throughout the game.

They were full value for their win as their work rate was top class and grew in confidence as the game went on and fully deserved their victory.

Ballyroan started fast and would race into a four-point lead with eight minutes on the clock.

That period was all about Kate Whelan, who kicked three points in a row which provided the platform for Ballyroan for the rest of the game.

Faye McEvoy got the fourth point as they never let Portlaoise settle into the game, It took Portlaoise 17 minutes to register their first point.

In that period, they were wasteful in front of goals kicking five wides and missed a goal chance through Ciara Crowley and Alison Taylor.

Grainne Moran got them up and running with a free, and they followed it up with two more points through Ciara Byrne and Moran with her second.

But Ballyroan settled once again and would fire over two more points through Whelan and Faye McEvoy.

They then struck for a goal in the next attack, with Faye McEvoy keeping her cool to fire the ball back into the net.

Ciara Byrne kept Portlaoise in touch before half time, but Ballyroan had the last say with a massive two pointer free from Kate Whelan as Ballyroan led 1-8 to 0-4.

Both sides would trade points after the breakthrough a Moran free and an Aoife Gee point for Ballyroan.

Slowly but surely, Portlaoise were starting to turn the screw in the middle of the field and started to eat into Ballyroan's lead.

They reeled off three points with Leah Loughman adding a free, while once again Grainne Moran hit another brace to reduce the gap to four.

Kate Whelan got another point for Ballyroan, but the county champions weren't going away and would get a goal of their own with twelve minutes remaining.

A long-range effort from Moran deceived the goalie and found the top corner, and now it was game on as Ballyroan led 1-10 to 1-8.

Whelan would hit another free in the 48th minute and it would be the last score of the game.

Ballyroan had the chance to open up a comfortable lead going into the final stages, but Kate Whelan struck a penalty wide.

Portlaoise did push to try get back into the game, but it didn't come as Ballyroan ran out deserving winners.

SCORERS:

Ballyroan: Kate Whelan 0-8 (1tpf, 0-6 frees), Faye McEvoy 1-2, Aoife Gee 0-1.

Portlaoise: Grainne Moran 1-5 (0-4fs), Ciara Byrne 0-2, Leah Loughman 0-1 (f).

BALLYROAN: Lara Gilnagh; Emily Mulhall, Clodagh Dunne, Claire Daly; Sarah Delaney, Alannah Brennan, Aine Carter; Andrea Moran, Faye McEvoy; Ellen McDonald, Roisin Fitzgearld, Kate Kenna; Rachel Fitzgearld, Kate Whelan, Aideen Gee.

Subs: Jill Gaughan for McDonald (41m), Laoise Dunne for Rachel Fitzgearld (45m).

PORTLAOISE: Keeva O'Reilly; Sarah McDonald, Deirdre Phelan, Sarah Fleming; Rachel Byrne, Aishling Saunders, Rebecca Reddin; Ciara Byrne, Lara Culleton; Molly McNulty, Ciara Crowley, Amarachi Obi; Leah Loughman, Grainne Moran, Alison Taylor.

Subs: Leah Brophy for Loughman (45m), Faye Brown for Culleton (53m).