Senior ‘B’ final for The Harps who condemn Castletown to relegation final
The Harps' Hugh Whelan gets his pass away despite the pressure being exerted by Ryan Peters (Castletown) in their Senior 'B' Hurling Championship semi-final on Saturday Photo: Denis Byrne
THE Harps have secured their status in the Laois SHC for 2026 after a dominant victory over Castletown in Mountrath on Saturday evening in their Senior ‘B’ semi-final.
Victory sees The Harps now into the Senior 'B' final against Abbeyleix in a fortnight, while Castletown will be facing into a battle for survival against Portlaoise in the relegation playoff.
Both sides have had somewhat turbulent campaigns over the summer, resulting in having to fight for their survival. For The Harps they have looked competent at times with some good wins over Abbeyleix and Rosenallis, but they were then hampered by losses to Ballinakill and Portlaoise before their group stage eventually culminated in a brawl against Clough/Ballacolla which saw two players and a club official get suspensions.
All of that will be of little consequence now however with their safety guaranteed having defeated Castletown, who will be bitterly disappointed to be facing into a relegation final once more.
A poor start to the campaign ultimately cost Castletown in the wind up with early losses to Clough/Ballacolla and Rosenallis before a change in management turned things around as they would draw with Abbeyleix and defeat Portlaoise before playing Ballinakill in the last game which meant nothing to them as they knew their fate beforehand.
They will now face Portlaoise again with the winners surviving at senior level for 2026 and the loser dropping back down to Premier Intermediate.
Castletown had the wind for the first 30 minutes, and it was a strong breeze blowing towards the Mountrath clubhouse with some smatterings of rain for good measure and they got some good scores on the board through Ciaran McKelvey and Jack Breen, but the concession of two goals meant they trailed by five at half time.
The second half began at a ferocious pace as the conditions worsened and Castletown got three on the board within five minutes, but disaster truck for them when a lucky bounce off the post landed at the feet of Duggan to stroke home his second goal and his side never looked back from there.
A good start to the contest saw the sides three apiece by the seventh minute with Jack Breen on target twice from play and an exquisite sideline cut by McKelvey in response to Ciaran Comerford (2) and Eoghan Murphy.
The teams traded another score each before James Duggan got in for his first goal in the 13th minute after latching onto a long ball in from Jack Kennedy and finishing well.
Castletown responded excellently with three on the trot from McKelvey (2) and Martin Phelan, but The Harps hit back harder with two Comerford frees followed by John Brophy and Duggan from play.
The Harps held a four-point lead heading for the final five minutes before disaster struck for Castletown as they failed to clear a high ball in and Cathal Murphy managed to bundle it into the net for a second goal.
Two scores from Kyron Cuddy and one for Benny Reddin reduced the gap before a final score from Eoghan Murphy to make it 2-10 to 0-11 at half time.
Cuddy opened the second half with a 65 and assisted a Tadhg Cuddy score with a quick free either side of Breen's third in a blistering start, however they were dealt a massive blow when a John Brophy strike bounced off the upright and dropped to James Duggan's feet in front of the net and he could never miss.
The Harps piled on the pressure with a pair of Comerford frees and though Castletown replied through Kyron Cuddy and Breen, they had a monumental mountain to climb.
As it turned out, Breen's score would be the final one of the game for Castletown as The Harps ran riot in the final quarter.
Eoghan Murphy, Hugh Whelan and Comerford all struck one each before a trio of scores from Podge Delaney, two long range frees and an excellent effort from play.
The Harps didn't let up as the rain pounded down and Justin Duggan fired in their fourth goal with an excellent low finish into the corner.
Duggan added a point to his goal along with scores from Comerford, Delaney and James Duggan to cap off a huge win for The Harps heading into the Senior ‘B’ final on a high.
Ciaran Comerford 0-10 (0-8fs), James Duggan 2-2, Podge Delaney (0-3fs) and Eoghan Murphy 0-4 each, Justin Duggin 1-1, Hugh Whelan, Eoghan Doheny and John Brophy 0-1 each.
Kyron Cuddy 0-5 (0-3fs, 0-1 65), Jack Breen 0-4, Ciaran McKelvey 0-3 (0-1 sideline, 0-1f), Martin Phelan, Tadhg Cuddy, Ryan Peters and Benny Reddin 0-1 each.
Mick Lanigan; Ciaran Flynn, Padraic Dunne, Rory Dunne; Jack Kennedy, Podge Delaney, Tiarnach Doheny; Hugh Whelan, Eoghan Doheny; Eoghan Murphy, John Brophy, Ciaran Comerford; Cathal Murphy, James Duggan, Mark Downey.
Ross Deegan for C Murphy (45m), Justin Duggan for Downey (49m), Conor Brophy for E Murphy (55m), Pat Walshe for Brophy (58m).
Patrick Mullaney; Shane Phelan, Aaron Phelan, Rory Kelly; Ciaran McKelvey, Ryan Mullaney, John Gaughan; Tadhg Cuddy, Tommy Goode; Martin Phelan, Conor Doran, Ryan Peters; Benny Reddin, Kyron Cuddy, Jack Breen.
Callum Peters for J Gaughan (22m, inj), Joe Phelan for T Goode (40m), Ray Goode for T Cuddy (52m), Sean Óg Byrne for Reddin (56m).
JJ Gorman (Clough/Ballacolla)
