Graiguecullen keep survival hopes alive as Park/Ratheniska go down

Graiguecullen 2-11 

Park/Ratheniska 0-9 

PARK/Ratheniska’s stay in the Laois Shopping Centre Senior Football Championship has lasted just one season after Graiguecullen secured a seven-point victory in Friday evening’s relegation play-off in Stradbally.

Having won the Intermediate Championship 12 months ago, Park/Ratheniska now find themselves heading straight back to that grade, while Graiguecullen have earned another opportunity to preserve their Senior status.

The defeat means Park/Ratheniska and Clonaslee/St Manman’s are two of the three teams relegated to Intermediate for 2027. The latter were beaten by The Heath in the other relegation play-off.

Graiguecullen will now meet The Heath in two weeks, with the winner of that game remaining in the Senior Championship for another year and the loser becoming the third team relegated.

There was little to separate the sides during the opening exchanges, but Graiguecullen gradually established control and finished the first half strongly to take a 0-9 to 0-5 lead into the interval.

Josh O’Brien opened the scoring after being set up by Brian Byrne, who then got his own name on the scoresheet. Park/Ratheniska responded with points from Cian Nolan and Conor Hayden, but Graiguecullen soon began to take command.

Cathal Tierney was forced into a good save when Aaron Dorgan played Dylan Murphy through on goal. Murphy did manage to get a score from the resulting 45 before Mark Timmons produced another of his trademark two-pointers, this time off the outside of his right foot.

Danny O’Brien and Murphy, from a free, extended Graiguecullen’s advantage before Park/Ratheniska survived another major scare. Brian Byrne had a sight of goal, but Brendan Greene raced back to get on the line and clear the effort.

Murphy’s third point put Graiguecullen six ahead after 20 minutes and, although Simon Fingleton converted a free in response, the winners continued to dictate proceedings.

Trevor Collins added another point for Graiguecullen before Brian and Simon Fingleton added scores as the first half drew to a close.

Park/Ratheniska needed a strong response after the break, but instead it was Graiguecullen who landed the first major blow.

Eight minutes had passed before the opening score of the second half arrived, with substitute Aidan Bradley making an immediate impact. Murphy floated a ball across the face of goal and Bradley, who had only been introduced two minutes earlier, got a hand to it and palmed the ball into the net.

Bradley then added a point, putting Graiguecullen eight ahead with 20 minutes still to play.

Fingleton eventually registered Park/Ratheniska’s first score of the half, but it was quickly followed by another decisive Graiguecullen attack.

Murphy was fouled inside the square and Timmons stepped up to take the penalty. He made no mistake, driving his shot into the bottom corner of the net to leave Park/Ratheniska facing an uphill battle.

Josh O’Brien followed with a free and Graiguecullen had scored 2-2 to Park/Ratheniska’s single point during a crucial spell after half-time.

Park/Ratheniska did finish with three unanswered points as they refused to go quietly. Nolan, Hayden from a free and Fingleton all found the target, but the deficit was too large to overcome.

Graiguecullen’s seven-point victory keeps their SFC survival hopes alive, but they must now overcome The Heath in two weeks if they are to remain in the Senior Championship for 2027.

SCORERS:

Graiguecullen: Mark Timmons 1-2 (1-0 pen, 1 tp), Aidan Bradley 1-1, Dylan Murphy 0-3 (0-2fs, 0-1 45), Josh O’Brien 0-2 (0-1f), Danny O’Brien, Brian Byrne and Trevor Collins 0-1 each.

Park/Ratheniska: Simon Fingleton 0-4 (0-2fs), Conor Hayden (0-1f) and Cian Nolan 0-2 each, Brian Fingleton 0-1.

GRAIGUECULLEN: Danny Maher; Eoin Aylesbury, Sean McGrath, Warith Oyeniyi; Danny McGrath, Mark Timmons, Aaron Dorgan; Trevor Collins, Jamie Sheehan; Danny O’Brien, Josh O’Brien, Daniel O’Reilly; Brian Byrne, Jack Byrne, Dylan Murphy.

Subs: Aidan Bradley for J Byrne (36m, inj), James Horohan for D O’Brien (54m), Danny Aylesbury for Dorgan (56m), Chris Hurley for J O’Brien (59m), Lee Nolan for O’Reilly (59m).

PARK/RATHENISKA: Cathal Tierney; Brian Fingleton, Colm Brennan, Brendan Greene; James Newell, Richie Hitchcock, Jimmy Langton; Killian O’Connor, Matt Cunningham; Conor Hayden, Simon Fingleton, Aaron Fitzpatrick; Noah Fingleton, Cian Nolan, Tom Fingleton.

Subs: Peter Conroy for O’Connor (41m), Ethan Kelly for T Fingleton (48m), Barry Connolly for N Fingleton (51m), Jack Dermody for Langton (56m), Ben Peachem for Fitzpatrick (58m).

Referee: Brendan McCann (Portarlington)