Charlie delivers last-gasp winner for Rosenallis against Abbeyleix
John Lennon (Rosenallis) striding away during their Senior Hurling Championship quarter-final win over Abbeyleix on Sunday Photo: Denis Byrne
ROSENALLIS have booked their place in the Laois SHC semi-finals for the first time since 2020 after a last-gasp point saw them edge past Abbeyleix at Laois Hire O’Moore Park on Sunday.
Charlie Friel was the man who delivered the decisive moment, firing over the winning point with the last puck of the game.
It was an emotional afternoon for Charlie and his brother Jack after their mam Grainne passed away earlier in the week. Charlie had already contributed three points before producing the score that sent Rosenallis through, with the panel embracing him after the final whistle.
Abbeyleix looked to have done enough when Killian Byrne’s goal put them ahead late on, but Rosenallis refused to panic. They scored three times in injury time to turn a two-point deficit into a one-point victory.
The opening half was an even and stop-start affair, with both sides relying heavily on frees. Abbeyleix opened the scoring through Cormac Byrne after two minutes, but David Dooley quickly levelled for Rosenallis.
Enda Rowland then landed a long-range free from inside his own half before Dooley responded from a placed ball. Dooley put Rosenallis ahead for the first time when he converted after being fouled.
Abbeyleix responded through Colin Byrne, who capitalised after Enda Rowland’s puck-out found him, but Dooley restored Rosenallis’ lead soon afterwards from a free.
The sides were level for a fourth time when Colm Walsh found the target, before Donnchadh Hartnett struck twice for Rosenallis. Abbeyleix then enjoyed their best spell of the half, with Cormac Byrne producing four points in succession, two from play and two frees.
The Friel brothers responded for Rosenallis, with Jack and Charlie both pointing to bring the sides level again.
Cormac Byrne added another free before half-time to bring his tally to six, but Rosenallis finished the half on level terms. John Lennon created an opening for Jimmy Hyland, who pointed to leave the sides 0-9 apiece at the interval.
Abbeyleix began the second half brightly, with Fionan Mahony and a Rowland free putting them back in front. Charlie Friel answered for Rosenallis before substitute Killian Byrne made an immediate impact with a point.
Dooley then brought Rosenallis level with two points, but the teams continued to trade scores. Killian Byrne and Cormac Byrne replied for Abbeyleix, while Hartnett and Dooley kept Rosenallis in touch. Jimmy Hyland edged Rosenallis ahead, only for Cormac Byrne to level again soon afterwards.
Rosenallis then appeared to seize control. Charlie Friel, Dooley from a free and Paddy Keating all found the target to put them three ahead.
However, Killian Byrne was about to make his biggest contribution. He pointed before Colin Byrne picked him out, and the substitute finished emphatically past Stephen Kelly to put Abbeyleix back in front.
Dooley converted another free to level with five minutes remaining, but Abbeyleix looked set to advance when Cormac Byrne and Rowland put them two clear with four minutes of injury time signalled. Rosenallis refused to accept defeat. Dooley converted two late frees before Charlie Friel stepped up for the final puck.
His point sparked huge celebrations as Rosenallis completed the comeback and secured a semi-final meeting with Camross in two weeks’ time.
Rosenallis: David Dooley 0-11 (0-9fs), Charlie Friel 0-4, Donnchadh Hartnett 0-3, Jimmy Hyland 0-2, Jack Friel and Paddy Keating 0-1 each.
Abbeyleix: Cormac Byrne 0-9 (0-6fs), Killian Byrne 1-3, Enda Rowland 0-3 (fs), Colm Walsh, Colin Byrne and Fionan Mahony 0-1 each.
Stephen Kelly; John Maher, Diarmuid Dooley, Oran Gorman; Alex Marron, Fiachra C Fennell, Colin Bennett; Charlie Friel, Matthew Bennett; Donnchadh Hartnett, David Dooley, Paddy Keating; Jack Friel, Brian Fitzpatrick, John Lennon.
Subs: Jimmy Hyland for Fitzpatrick (22m, inj), Sam Somers for J Friel (50m), Joey Keating for P Keating (60m).
Enda Rowland; Eli Quinn, Oisin Carroll, Eamon Fitzpatrick; Ross Coffey, Liam Delaney, Stephen O'Donnell; Colm Walsh, Eoin Reilly; Liam Kavanagh, Cillian McEvoy, Fionan Mahony; Colin Byrne, Alan Lynch, Cormac Byrne.
Subs: Sam Quinn for Reilly (16m, inj), Killian Byrne for Kavanagh (ht), Jack Finlay for Coffey (36m), Eoghan Fennelly for Lynch (45m), Liam O’Keeffe for O’Donnell (63m).
JJ Gorman (Clough/Ballacolla)
