Portlaoise power past reigning champions to regain senior title

LOETB Laois LGFA Senior Championship Final 

Portlaoise 3-13 

St Conleth’s 1-11 

IN A repeat of the last three senior ladies county finals, Portlaoise and St Conleth’s met in Stradbally GAA on Saturday afternoon where St Conleth’s were looking to make it two in a row and Portlaoise were searching for their fourth title in six years.

But before the game could get underway, a toss was called for as it was reported the jerseys were too alike. Portlaoise won the toss meaning St Conleth’s had to play in their alternative jerseys.

Portlaoise went on to successfully avenge their one-point loss to St Conleth’s in 2024. The sides were level at halftime, but The Town took control in the second half and outscored St Conleth’s by 1-7 to 0-2.

Aoibhe Byron opened the scoring with a point from play, quickly followed by a point from Naomi Luttrell. Ellen Healy landed Portlaoise’s first point with Grainne Moran finding the back of the net after Alison Taylor won the St Conleth’s kick-out.

The reigning champions replied with two on the hop from a Byron free and Shifra Havill. Aisling Kehoe then added her name to the scoresheet pointing from play.

Byron scored two super points in a row before St Conleth’s raised a green flag. Luttrell found Havill who set up Claire Fox to slot the ball under Keeva O’Reilly Corning.

Portlaoise responded with a second goal when a Moran free was palmed away by Claire O’Connell, but Kehoe was alert and buried the ball to the net.

Grainne Moran and Byron traded frees as St Conleth’s remained a point ahead. Taylor and Kehoe pointed for Portlaoise while Luttrell replied for St Conleth’s to level the game.

Fiona Dooley and Byron pointed for their respective sides before heading to the dressing rooms all square, 2-6 to 1-9.

Healy and Kehoe pointed within a matter of minutes to get the second half underway. Eva Galvin split the posts for St Conleth’s and Portlaoise replied with three in a row from Ciara Crowley, Dooley, and Moran. Byron converted a free in the 45th minute which emerged to be St Conleth’s final score of the game.

Disaster strook for the reigning champions when Ola Haastrup was shown a yellow card for a high tackle on Susie Delaney meaning she would only be back for the final four minutes of the game. Moran then pointed the resulting free pushing Portlaoise four points clear.

St Conleth’s went searching for a much-needed goal but could never manage to get through as Ellen Healy pulled off two huge interceptions to stop them.

Moran went on to land a superb security point for her side. Only two minutes later, Moran made a run from just inside the 45 with only one thing on her mind as she continued her run and fired the ball to the bottom corner of the net sealing an eight-point win for Portlaoise as they were crowned senior champions.

Portlaoise have a Leinster campaign to look forward to where they will face a trip to the winners of Longford Slashers and Kilmacud Crokes on Sunday 26 October.

SCORERS Portlaoise: Grainne Moran 2-4 (0-2fs), Aisling Kehoe 1-3, Fiona Dooley and Aisling Kehoe 0-2 each, Ciara Crowley and Alison Taylor 0-1 each.

St Conleth’s: Aoibhe Byron 0-7 (0-3fs), Claire Fox 1-0, Naomi Luttrell 0-2, Eva Galvin and Shifra Havill 0-1 each.

PORTLAOISE: Keeva O’Reilly; Ella McNulty, Deirdre Phelan, Sarah Fleming; Ciara Crowling, Aishling Saunders, Rebecca Reddin; Fiona Dooley, Ellen Healy; Alison Taylor, Aisling Kehoe, Grainne O’Reilly; Leah Loughman, Grainne Moran, Susie Delaney.

Subs: Lara Culleton for G O’Reilly (ht), Shauna Dooley for Loughman (51m), Faye Brown for Crowley (58m).

ST CONLETH'S: Claire O’Connell; Ola Haastrup, Fiona Dempsey, Grainne Cotter; Aoife Cummins, Aine Haberline, Mary Cotter; Shifra Havill, Aoife Kirrane; Marie Byrne, Eva Galvin, Naomi Luttrell; Aoibhe Byron, Claire Fox, Emma Lawlor.

Subs: Courtney Finlay for Lawlor (42m), Becky Fenlon for Luttrell (57m).

Referee: Mick Tarpey (Kilcavan)