Laois power past Carlow after dominant second-half display

Laois 3-15 

Carlow 2-9 

LAOIS camogie team got their championship campaign off to a winning start after a brilliant team performance to overcome Carlow by nine points in Laois Hire O'Moore Park on Sunday afternoon.

A stunning second half performance proved vital for Laois, although they had to survive to late goals from Carlow, but in the end, they were deserving winners.

Clodagh Tynan, Kaylee O'Keefe, Grainne Delaney and Aimee Collier put in outstanding performances to lead Laois to their first win of the campaign.

Laois got the scoring under way with a brilliant point from Susie Delaney, but the Carlow response was a good one as they hit the next three scores.

The scores came from Ciara Kavanagh who got a brace while the impressive Eleanor Treacy would get the other.

Laois then struck for their first goal to put them in the lead as captain Aimee Collier finished brilliantly to leave the scores at 1-1 to 0-3.

Treacy responded once more through a free while Grainne Delaney hit back for Laois.

The second goal arrived soon after with Delaney going on a run at the heart of the defence and found Kaylee O'Keefe who made no mistake finding the net.

Kavanagh and Delaney traded points before Carlow hit three in a row with Treacy hitting two frees while Eve Sinnott got the other.

The sides traded points once again through Collier and Sarah Sheehan as it continued to be a closely fought contest.

Laois finished the half with two points through Delaney and Collier to give them a lead at the break 2-6 to 0-9.

The home side came storming out in the second half and would hit a purple patch to blow their opponents away.

Jade Bergin got the scoring underway in the second half with a fine point from play which sparked Laois into life once more.

The next ten minutes was all about captain Aimee Collier who hit 1-3 without reply to stun the away side.

First, she got a brilliant point from play which was followed up with a free from near the sideline to put Laois in control. She then added a point from a free as Laois led 2-10 to 0-9.

The victors then hit their third goal after superb work from Kirsten Keenan who found Collier, who finished empathically to put Laois ten points up with 13 minutes remaining.

It looked like Laois were going to romp home, but Carlow hit two quick fire goals through Ciara Kavanagh and Sarah Sheehan to bring it back to a four-point game with five minutes left.

Laois remained calm and composed and would hit the last five points through Kaylee O'Keefe, Collier, Susie Delaney and a brace from Grainne Delaney as Laois claimed a win in the championship opener.

SCORERS:

Laois: Aimee Collier 2-5 (0-3fs, 0-1 45), Grainne Delaney 0-5, Kaylee O'Keefe 1-2, Susie Delaney 0-2, Jade Bergin 0-.

Carlow: Eleanor Treacy 0-6 (0-5fs), Ciara Kavanagh 1-2, Sarah Sheehan 1-0, Eve Sinnott 0-1.

LAOIS: Aedin Lowry (Camross); Laura Finlay (St Brigid's), Ellen Conroy (O'Moore's), Aoife Carroll (St Brigid's); Sarah Creagh (St Brigid's), Clodagh Tynan (St Brigid's), Rachel Deegan (The Harps); Aoife Finlay (St Brigid's), Jade Bergin (The Harps); Kaylee O'Keefe (Abbeyleix), Grainne Delaney (Camross), Amy Lacey (The Harps); Kirsten Keenan (Camross), Aimee Collier (Camross), Susie Dealney (Boherlahan-Dualla).

Subs: Lucy Conroy (O'Moore's) for Lacey (27m), Aisling O'Dea (St Brigid's) for Carroll (40m), Karla Whelan (Mountrath) for Creagh (53m), Eimear Hassett (St Brigid's) for Keenan (57m).

CARLOW: Emily O'Hara; Rachel Breen, Michelle Nolan, Gillian Doyle; Caoimhe Coady, Kate Doyle, Clodagh Lawler; Eleanor Treacy, Sarah Sheehan; Eve Sinnott, Rhiannon Kenny, Molly Kavanagh; Ciara Kavanagh, Abhainn Coady, Niamh Canavan.

Subs: Aimie Nolan for M Kavanagh (37m), Holly Wall for Kenny (48m), Niamh Minchin for Lawler (48m).

Referee: Eamon Cassidy