Totally dominant display results in Abbeyleix moving out of relegation trouble

St Lazarian’s Abbeyleix 2-22 

Ballyfin 0-11 

ABBEYLEIX got their first points on the board in the 2026 Laois Shopping Centre SHC with a 17-point victory over Ballyfin in Laois Hire O'Moore Park in the second of the Round 3 Sunday double header.

After two big losses in the opening rounds, Abbeyleix were rooted to the bottom of the table coming into this weekend but this victory along with Ballinakill failing to win on Saturday evening, it means that Abbeyleix are out of the relegation spot at the bottom.

Ballyfin remain bottom of the group with three losses from three and this was certainly their most disappointing loss so far after running Portlaoise to three points in Round 1 and putting up a good display against Rosenallis the last day out.

Sunday’s game was total domination from the off from Abbeyleix however and they were out of sight very early in the second half once Enda Rowland found the net from a free.

Abbeyleix piled on the misery as best they could as score difference can prove pivotal in the new championship format and with Ballinakill due to face Ballyfin in Round 5, that could be the only difference between themselves and Abbeyleix when it comes down to it.

Cormac Byrne started the game at centre forward for Abbeyleix and he slotted the opening score that was soon followed by an Eoghan Fennelly free and an excellent score from play by Eoin Reilly.

After a blistering opening two minutes from The Fung, they wouldn't score again for another ten minutes, in which time Ballyfin fired from range by Eanna Lyons and Eamon Duff popped over a free from outside the 45.

Ross Coffey landed one back for Abbeyleix down the left wing as Reilly split the posts for a second time from long range.

A second score from range by Lyons and a great point by Shane Connolly from the tightest of angles to keep just a point between the sides with eighteen minutes gone.

The wide count for both sides was atrocious in the first half, but Abbeyleix were creating much more scoring chances than their opponents and as a result began to race further ahead.

Fennelly made amends for a series of wides with a well taken frree before Colm Walsh, Liam Delaney and Reilly were all successful from open play and Enda Rowland landed a free from well inside his own half.

Duff ended the stream of Abbeyleix scores momentarily before Fennelly added a point from play and Rowland took his second free and put it over the bar, the last score of the half though came from Shane Connolly to make it 0-12 to 0-6 at half time in favour of Abbeyleix.

Fennelly got the second half opener from a free and their next score came moments later again from a free, but this time i t was Rowland who made the trek up field to stand over a 21 metre free and blast it into the net past the green wall on the line.

That goal effectively put the game beyond beyond all reasonable doubt in terms of the result with ten points now between the sides and Ballyfin not looking capable of threatening that level of a resurgence against The Fung.

Abbeyleix continued to attack with scores from Killian Byrne and half backs Jack Finlay and Stephen O'Donnell wile Fennelly stuck another pointed free onto his tally.

Two impressive frees from Ballyfin youngster Shane Connolly kept the scoreboard ticking over for Eanna Lyons' charges, as once again the emergence of Connolly has proven to be the shining light for Ballyfin in a tough campaign.

Despite the momentary respite provided by Connolly's frees for Ballyfin, normal service resumed thanks to a brilliant trio of points from Cormac Byrne, Finlay and O'Donnell, bringing each of their individual tallies to two points from play.

With score difference playing such an integral in the championship now Abbeyleix continued to pile on the pressure, resulting in a second goal when a long ball in from Liam Delaney broke inside for Killian Byrne to chase and poke into the net after beating Eoin Connolly to the punch.

The sides traded two points each late on, two from Connolly and two from Byrne as Abbeyleix ran out comfortable winners to get their first points on the board.

SCORERS:

Abbeyleix: Eoghan Fennelly 0-5 (0-4fs), Enda Rowland 1-2 (fs), Killian Byrne 1-1, Cormac Byrne 0-4 (0-1f), Eoin Reilly 0-3, Stephen O'Donnell and Jack Finlay 0-2 each, Colm Walsh, Ross Coffey and Liam Delaney 0-1 each.

Ballyfin: Shane Connolly 0-6 (0-4fs), Eanna Lyons and Eamon Duff 0-2 each, Darragh Connolly 0-1.

ST LAZARIAN’S ABBEYLEIX: Enda Rowland; Eli Quinn, Oisin Carroll, Eamon Fitzpatrick; Jack Finlay, Stephen O'Donnell, Ross Coffey; Liam Delaney, Liam O'Keeffe; Colm Walsh, Killian Byrne, Eoin Reilly; Eoghan Fennelly, Alan Lynch, Cormac Byrne.

Subs: Sam Quinn for Reilly (45m), Tommy Walton for Fennelly (54m).

BALLYFIN: Eoin Connolly; Sean O'Neill, Allan Connolly, Cillian Rowney; Conall Rowney, David Connolly, Darragh Connolly; Shane Conroy, Ciaran Quinn; Eanna Lyons, Ronan Carroll, Jack Heffernan; Shane Connolly, Chris Dunne, Gary Hofmeister.

Subs: Ronan Carroll for Dunne (28m), Chris Dunne for Heffernan (58m).

Referee: Brian Farrell (The Harps)