Laois run riot against Wicklow to seal Leinster final spot

Laois 10-19 

Wicklow 0-10 

THE Laois Camogie team are into the Leinster Intermediate final for the third year in a row as they fired 10 goals past Wicklow in Pearse Park, Arklow, on Sunday afternoon.

Pat Collier and Robert Jones’ side were on top from the first minute until the last. Laois will face Westmeath in the decider after they narrowly defeat Meath on Saturday.

Laois burst into life and had 1-4 on the scoreboard in no time. Kirsten Keenan rattled the back of the net with Laois’ first four points coming from Grainne Delaney (two), Susie Delaney and Aimee Collier.

Wicklow’s best spell in the game came when Sophie Berminhgam pointed a free and 45, while Elizabeth Bourke scored from play with just the Kirsten Keenan goal separating the sides with a quarter of an hour played.

Laois took over once again and scored 1-3 without reply. Susie Delaney scored two of the points, while Jade Bergin got the other. The goal came from Laois captain Aimee Collier after she had won the ball back in the Wicklow defence. Just before her goal, Wicklow goalkeeper Leane Lifely had made a great save after Aoife Finlay had found Collier, who looked to have set up Keenan for her second goal, but Lifely saved one-on-one.

Bourke got a second point for Wicklow and Bergin did likewise for Laois. Bermingham was consistent with her free-taking as she split the posts from a free. The last few minutes of the half were probably where Laois ended the game as a contest, as they scored three goals in as many minutes.

Grainne Delaney stuck the sliotar into the top corner before Keenan flicked the ball in along the floor after Collier’s effort was batted down into the square. Kaylee O’Keeffe got Laois’ fifth goal of the afternoon and it also meant that all of Laois’ six forwards had scored at that stage. Bermingham got the final point of the half as Laois led 5-8 to 0-7 at half-time.

The second half followed a similar pattern to the first, as Laois completely dominated proceedings. The half wasn’t 40 seconds old when Laois raised a sixth green flag. Susie Delaney’s shot went into the square and hit the hand of Keenan and ended up in the net. Collier pointed before setting up O’Keeffe for her second goal. O’Keeffe then added a point to her name, and Susie Delaney increased her tally.

Collier hit a quick-fire point and goal as Laois led 8-12 to 0-7 with 37 minutes on the clock. A 45 from Collier and two points from Grainne Delaney followed before Bermingham finally got a point for Wicklow in the 44th minute. O’Keeffe and two more points from Collier pushed Laois even further ahead. Bermingham added two points to her tally, but the game was well over at this stage.

Laois ended the game with 2-2 to rack up an astonishing 10-19 by the time referee Patrick Murphy blew the full-time whistle. Amy Lacey and Grainne Delany got the goals with two frees from Collier, rounding off a superb semi-final performance for Laois.

Laois will face Westmeath on Sunday 10 May in Mullingar to decided the destination of this year's Leinster title. 

SCORERS:

Laois: Aimee Collier 2-8 (0-1 45, 0-2fs), Grainne Delaney 2-5, Kaylee O’Keeffe 2-2, Kirsten Keenan 2-0, Susie Delaney 1-2, Amy Lacey 1-0, Jade Bergin 0-2. Wicklow: Sophie Bermingham 0-8 (0-6fs, 0-1 45), Elizabeth Bourke 0-2.

LAOIS: Aedin Lowry (Camross); Laura Finlay (St Brigid’s), Ellen Conroy (O’Moore’s), JulieAnn Bennett (O’Moore’s); Aoife Finlay (St Brigid’s), Clodagh Tynan (St Brigid’s), Sarah Fleming (Portlaoise); Amy Lacey (The Harps), Lucy Conroy (O’Moore’s); Kaylee O Keeffe (St Lazarian’s), Grainne Delaney (Camross), Jade Bergin (The Harps); Kirsten Keenan (Camross), Aimee Collier (Camross), Susie Delaney (Boherlahan-Dualla).

Subs: Grace Foxe (St Lazarian’s) for Lowry (ht), Sinead Slevin (Banrion Gaels) for Fleming (ht), Karla Whelan (Naomh Eamonn) for L. Finlay (ht), Aoife Carroll (St Brigid’s) for E. Conroy (42m) and Aoife Gee (The Harps) for S. Delaney (50m).

WICKLOW: Leane Lifely; Aine Byrne, Casey Kelly, Tara Doran; Sarah Doyle, Sive Byrne, Isabelle Doyle; Roisin Byrne, Catherine Bourke; Sophie Bermingham, Elizabeth Bourke, Aine Byrne; Emma Byrne, Ellen O’Neill, Daisie Summer Cullen Dunne.

Subs: Shauna Dickenson for A. Byrne (25m).

Referee: Patrick Murphy (Carlow).