Camross advance to yet another semi-final – but only just
Zane Keenan scored 1-8 as Camross move into the SHC semi final after their win over Borris/Kilcotton on Sunday Photo: Denis Byrne
ANOTHER Laois Senior Hurling Championship semi-final berth awaits Camross in a fortnight after their one point victory over Borris/Kilcotton in the first of Sunday’s double header in Laois Hire O’Moore Park.
As Rathdowney/Errill topped Group B they now lie ahead for Camross in what is a mouthwatering tie, while Borris/Kilcotton's season comes to an abrupt end.
Mossy Keyes and Mark Dowling did the damage up front once again, but Camross’s top performer was arguably Joe Phelan who had a fantastic game at corner back where he spent much of the contest trying to limit Jer Quinlan’s input to the contest.
Camross have been slowly building throughout this year’s championship having been missing a handful of their starters for the opening rounds and the trio mentioned above were involved in that missing group and since their reintroduction to the fold, Camross’s fortunes have changed massively.
There was very little between the teams for much of the game, but once again the old adage that goals win games stood the test of time and proved too be the case once again here today with Camross finding the net on three occasions while Borris/Kilcotton never even forced Tadhg Doran into action once.
It was a battling performance from Borris/Kilcotton however as they came in as big underdogs against Camross, who will probably look at this game and think they still have some work to do if they are to lift Bob O'Keeffe in October.
The usual killer instinct didn’t seem to be there for Camross in the second half and they just sort of let the game go by at times which meant that Borris/Kilcotton kept within range right up until the final whistle, but they simply couldn’t create any goal chances which is what ultimately decided the game for Camross, while their backs put in excellent shifts to limit Borris/Kilcotton’s forwards.
Within just 51 seconds Camross took a three point lead when Mark Dowling fired the ball across the goals to Mossy Keyes to fire home from close range, getting Camross off to a wondrous start.
Borris/Kilcotton responded strongly after being put on the backfoot as PJ Scully cut a sideline over the bar and points from play by Stephen Dunphy and Colm Stapleton followed, though Keyes would split the posts twice in reply.
Tempers began to flare early in the half with the result being yellow cards for Darragh Duggan and Jer Quinlan, and Borris/Kilcotton struck first after it with a long range free from Eoin Fleming before another from Scully, with two replies coming from Zane Keenan.
Camross took a commanding lead in the 27th minute when Mark Dowling made a driving run inside and eventually got a shot away that deflected off the onrushing Enda Parlon and bounced into the net.
Scully traded scores with James Cuddy before a quick double from Neil Foyle in injury time followed with a Scully free made it 2-6 to 0-10 at half time.
The teams struck four points each in the opening 10 minutes of the second half with Keenan raising all the flags for Camross while Stephen Dunphy, Aaron Dunphy and PJ Scully were on target for Borris/Kilcotton.
Borris/Kilcotton began to take the upper hand and got on level terms for the first time since the opening minute of the game with scores from Scully and Aaron Dunphy, but they were soon pegged back again when Mark Dowling was hauled down for a penalty and Keenan buried it in the bottom corner.
Dean Carey was very effective after his introduction to the contest as he raised three white flags in the final quarter along with a couple of scores from Scully, but Camross continued to threaten at the other end and got points on the board through Zane Keenan and his nephew Ashton to just do enough to hold on to the lead by the final whistle in the 65th minute.
Two weeks’ time will see Camross taking on Rathdowney-Errill in a semi-final and that will no doubt be a hotly contested game.
Zane Keenan 1-8 (0-5fs, 1-0 pen, 0-1 sideline), Mossy Keyes 1-3, Mark Dowling 1-1, Ashton Keenan and James Cuddy 0-1 each.
PJ Scully 0-10 (0-7fs, 0-1 65), Aaron Dunphy and Dean Carey 0-3 each, Neil Foyle and Stephen Dunphy 0-2 each, Colm Stapleton and Eoin Fleming (f) 0-1 each.
Tadhg Doran; Darragh Duggan, Cathal Cuddy, Joe Phelan; Eoin Dowling, Eoin Gaughan, Eoghan Cuddy; Odhran Phelan, Liam Delaney; Ciaran Collier, Rpbert Tyrrell, Zane Keenan; Mossy Keyes, James Cuddy, Mark Dowling.
Ashton Keenan for Tyrrell (43m), Dwane Palmer for E Cuddy (47m), Dan Delaney for J Cuddy (56m).
Eoin Fleming; Conor Kilbane, Steven Finan, Enda Parlon; Noah Quinlan, Matthew Whelan, Evan Quinlan; Philip Tynan, Colm Stapleton; Stephen Dunphy, Niall Coss, PJ Scully; Aaron Dunphy, Jer Quinlan, Eoin Fitzpatrick.
Neil Foyle for E Quinlan (20m), Stephen Phelan for Fitzpatrick (ht), Dean Carey for N Quinlan (39m), Eoghain Coss for Phelan (56m).
John Lalor (Shanahoe)
