Arles-Killeen show their class and experience to see off Clonaslee St Manman's

Arles-Killeen have been just about hanging on in the top-tier of Laois football for a while now. With the help of the Kingston brothers, they have managed to survive time and time again.

Since last year though, young players like Colin Dunne, Oisin Byrne and Michael Wall have joined their first team and given them some fresh energy. All three were involved in their impressive first-round victory over Clonaslee St Manman’s in Ratheniska on Saturday evening.

Arles-Killeen 0-15

Clonaslee St Manman's 1-5

Clonaslee St Manman’s, who had reached their first ever Senior football quarter-final last season, will be desperately disappointed with their display here. They looked a long way off from the team that had shocked Stradbally last season.

Arles-Killeen led by two points at the interval. It was their third quarter display that sealed the win though, as they outscored their opponents six points to nil during that period.

Clonaslee St Manman’s only score in the second-half came from an own goal, which just about sums up their lacklustre performance. They now go into the round two losers’ section while Arles-Killeen advance to the winners’ section of the draw.

Arles-Killeen’s Colin Dunne was excellent throughout the course of the day. Dunne got his side off to an ideal start by curling over a beauty after only a minute of play elapsed.

However, Pauric Dunne’s side were dealt a hammer blow only a few minutes into the affair. Key man Donie Kingston was forced off through injury, with Billy O’Loughlin taking his place in the forward line.

Nevertheless, Arles-Killeen continued to plod on and doubled their advantage through Donie’s younger brother, Paul Kingston. Then Billy O’Loughlin landed a third point for them after only being on the field minutes.

Clonaslee St Manman’s did eventually register their opening score. Midfielder Josh Flynn ran forward to float over a lovely point. However, an Oisin Byrne free restored Arles-Killeen’s three-point cushion after fifteen minutes of play.

You were just waiting for Clonaslee St Manman’s to get stuck into this contest. To their credit, they did grab the next two scores, as full-forward Cathal Lee landed one from a free and a mark for them.

Colin Dunne responded for Arles-Killeen with another cracking score, this time from out near the opposite side to his first. Niall Corbet cut the Clonaslee St Manman’s deficit back to one through a converted placed ball though.

Paul Kingston was the key to Arles-Killeen’s second-half performance but he did have his moments in the first half as well. Kingston kicked his second point of the evening after he sidestepped his marker and curled over.

Then the Laois Senior footballer won the following Clonaslee St Manman’s kick-out. Paul Kingston played it into Conor Keightley who easily placed over from close-range.

That Keightley score left Arles-Killeen ahead 0-7 to 0-5 at half-time. The fact that Clonaslee St Manman’s were so poor but only trailed by two at this stage would have given them plenty of hope in the dressing room.

However, it was Arles-Killeen who came out for the second-half and dominated that third quarter. Paul Kingston showed his threat early on by breaking down Oisin Byrne’s long ball and curling over under pressure.

Colin Dunne added another from a free before Paul Kingston came again. He played a one-two with Billy O’Loughlin before Kingston planted over.

While Donie Kingston’s early injury was a blow for Arles-Killeen, Billy O’Loughlin certainly did not let his side down with his display. O’Loughlin turned back the years to place over his second point and give Arles-Killeen a six-point lead.

Colin Dunne came close to scoring the first goal of the game after that but Conor Gorman in the Clonaslee St Manman’s goals denied him. Dunne did grab a point before that goal chance though to stretch Arles-Killeen’s lead out further.

Paul Kingston then tacked on two more points to his name to show everyone in Ratheniska why he was the stand-out player on the field. Arles-Killeen led by nine points heading into the final ten minutes.

Clonaslee St Manman’s only score of the second-half came from an own goal. Clonaslee St Manman’s Niall Hogan’s shot came back off the post but it was deflected in by Arles-Killeen’s substitute, Shane Julian.

However, that was all Clonaslee St Manman’s could muster, as a Noel Gaughan point completed a brilliant Arles-Killeen display.