Last year’s defeat fuels this year’s glory as Laois claim Division 3a title

Very National League Division 3A Final 

Laois 0-14 

Roscommon 1-6 

LAOIS and Roscommon met halfway in Kinnegad GAA on Saturday afternoon to compete for the Very National League Division 3A title. Laois fell to Armagh when they lost by a single point in the same final last season so hoped to use that heartbreak to get over the line on the day.

Laois came into the final having won all five matches in the league phase, including a 2-10 to 0-7 victory over Roscommon in Mountmellick last month. That victory over Roscommon was the game which sealed Laois' place in the final.

Roscommon who have never won a league title in their history started stronger as they registered two points in three minutes courtesy of an Orla Connolly free and Sarah Dooley pointed from play. Laois awoke to the rapid start from their opponents and hit the ground running pointing five scores in the following ten minutes. Four of these came from Susie Delaney as she had her marker in her back pocket all half, Aimee Collier pointed the fifth from a placed ball.

The Rossies replied through a 45 from Connolly which remained as their final score of the first half. Laois pointed a further six before the half time whistle. Grainne Delaney split the posts for the first while an almost certain goal chance was missed when Collier and Susie Delaney were two on one with the Roscommon full back. Collier over hit the set-up pass and it went astray but Susie made up for it squeezing the ball between the post's minutes later.

Huge recognition must go to the Laois defence as they remained incredibly resilient mopping up every ball that game in. A strong finish to the half was shown when Collier pointed her second free while Grainne Delaney also added to her tally. Eimear Hassett and Kaylee O’Keefe both deservingly added their names to the scoresheet also. Laois headed to the dressing room at half time with a healthy eight-point lead, (0-11 to 0-3).

Roscommon replicated their first half start and pointed two in a row from Connolly, one 45’ and one free. A Clodagh Tynan free found Hassett who turned her woman and pointed but Dooley replied immediately for her side.

A tense and sloppy 10 minutes followed as neither side managed to register a score and Laois fought hard to keep Roscommon away from Aedin Lowry in the nets. Collier pointed her third free and the resulting puck out made its way rapidly up the field to Dooley who skipped through the Laois defence and nailed the back of the net narrowing the gap to four. An assurance point from Collier in the 60th minute meaning Roscommon were five behind which prove not possible to overcome.

If ever a team deserved to win some silverware, it is Pat Colliet and Rob Jones’ Laois Camogie panel. After hurt of last year’s loss when Laois narrowly missed out by a point in all three finals they competed in, they stand tall today as they are crowned Division 3A champions with a superb five-point win over Roscommon.

SCORERS:

Laois: Susie Delaney 0-5, Aimee Collier 0-4 (0-3fs), Eimear Hassett and Grainne Delaney 0-2 each, Kaylee O’Keefe 0-1.

Roscommon: Sarah Dooley 1-2, Orla Connolly 0-4 (0-2 frees and 0-2 45’s).

LAOIS: Aedin Lowry (Camross); Laura Finlay (St Brigid's), Ellen Conroy (O'Moore's), Fiona Scully (Camross); Alice Walsh (The Harps), Clodagh Tynan (St Brigid's), Sinéad Slevin (Banríon Gaels); Liadan C-Fennell (O'Moore's), Lynda Keyes (Camross); Gráinne Delaney (Camross), Kirsten Keenan (Camross), Kaylee O'Keefe (St Lazarian's); Eimear Hassett (St Brigid's), Aimee Collier (Camross), Susie Delaney (Portlaoise).

Subs: Sarah Creagh (St Brigid’s) for Slevin (45m), Alanna Tynan (St Brigid’s) for O’Keefe (51m), Shona Jones (St Brigid’s) for Hassett (64m).

ROSCOMMON: Andrea Fallon; Michelle Rogers, Shauna McDermott, Aideen O’Brian; Hannah Murray, Mairead Lohan, Erin McDermott; Sally Bolger, Orla Connolly; Sinead Mannion, Rachel Fitzmaurice, Tara Naughton; Ciara Kilcommons, Sarah Dooley, Oonagh Kelly.

Subs: Deborah Finneran for Kilcommons (36m), Celine Gacquin for O’Brien (40m).

Referee: Paul O’Neill (Antrim)