Laois U/16’s outgun Tipperary to reach All-Ireland final
The Laois U/16 team that defeated Tipperary to advance to the All-Ireland 'B' final Photo: Paul Dargan
THE Laois U/16 girls have booked a spot in the Airnav All-Ireland final after a companding display against Tipperary on Thursday evening.
Laois had travelled to MW Hire training centre in Dunmore in blistering conditions after having a seven-week break since they beat Dublin in the Leinster final.
They produced a clinical first-half display that laid the foundation for a deserved nine-point win. Despite a spirited second-half fightback from the Premier County, Laois’ early dominance proved decisive as they safely saw out the contest.
Tipperary opened the scoring when Zoe Duggan pointed a free in the opening three minutes. Laois’ first score raised a green flag when Jessica Horan’s shot dropped and was patted down by Avril Moloney, but Laura Malone was on hand to tap the ball across the line.
Rebecca Hewitt added a second point for the Premier County while Kate Dowling replied for Laois. Aoife Mullins pulled off a super save from a Farrah Madigan shot to keep Laois ahead. Mia Delaney and Orla Pamplin traded scored before the girls broke for a well needed water break.
The rehydration did the O’Moore girls a world of good as they went on to add a further 1-4 to the board with no reply from their opponents. Delaney pointed the first while Dowling added her second with Malone firing over the bar from the resulting kickout. Hanna Luttrell opened her account before Horan won a high ball and found Dowling who made no mistake in finding the top corner of the net.
Madigan added a second score to her name for Tipp, but Laois finished the stronger as Horan once again won a high ball and set up Delaney to fire home and give Laois a healthy 11-point lead at the break (3-6 to 0-4).
Tipp emerged from the dressing room all guns blazing and Emma Cullinan raised a white flag while Hewitt went through on goal but thankfully for Laois her effort went to the left and wide. Dowling and Emily Fanning pointed for their respective sides and Cullinan added a second to her name.
Laois were struggling to get hands on the ball, but Horan and Delaney struck again as Horan hand passed over the top and Delaney rattled the back of the net. Laois were then reduced to 14 players for the following ten minutes when Sarah Cunningham was shown a yellow card.
The Tipp captain Cullinan was the first to beat Mullins when she found the top corner of the net while Sarah Burke replied for Laois raising a white flag. Tipp didn’t give up and they struck on goal again this time it was Madigan who fired to the bottom corner.
Delaney pointed her third to steady the ship while Cunningham returned to the field after his sin bin. Mullins pulled off another fabulous save from a Madigan shot to keep the gap from narrowing in the dying minutes. Chelsey Dooley pointed the final score of the game giving her side a nine-point win seeing them through to an All-Ireland final.
Mia Delaney 2-3, Kate Dowling 1-3, Laura Malone 1-1, Hanna Luttrell, Chelsey Dooley, and Sarah Burke 0-1 each.
Emma Cullinan 1-2, Farrah Madigan 1-1, Rebecca Hewitt, Zoe Duggan (f), Orla Pamplin, and Emily Fanning 0-1 each.
Aoife Mullins (Killeshin), Lily Brophy (St Joseph’s), Lucy Whelan (St Brigid’s), Sarah Cunningham (Park/Ratheniska); Áine Conroy (Clonaslee St Manman’s), Saffron Adams (Park/Ratheniska), Kara Powders (Portlaoise); Kara Phelan (Portlaoise), Jessica Horan (Ballyfin); Hanna Luttrell (St Conleth’s), Mia Delaney (Park/Ratheniska), Chelsey Dooley (Killeshin); Laura Malone (Killeshin), Orlaith McEvoy (Sarsfields), Kate Dowling (St Paul’s).
Grainne Coleman (Portlaoise) for Conroy (41m), Sarah Burke (Sarsfields) for McEvoy (46m), Maeve McDonald (Sarsfields) for Malone (60m), Molly Fitzpatrick (Park/Ratheniska) for Adams (60m), Aifric Hennessy (The Heath) for Delaney (63m).
Avril Moloney; Emma Hally, Laoise McCahey, Patrycja Marcinek; Abbey O’Leary, Katie Bergin, Gemma Mai Barrett; Emma Neary, Meabh Lonergan; Orla Pamplin, Farrah Madigan, Zoe Duggan; Emily Fanning, Rebecca Hewitt, Emma Cullinan.
Aoife Ryan for Hally (30m, inj), Lily Gillespie for Barrett (38m), Caoimhe O’Neill for Duggan (46m), Aobhinn Harris for Pamplin (50m), Aifric Mockler for Longergan (60m).
Conor McCarthy (Cork)
