Park-Ratheniska/Timahoe prove too strong for Camross' in Junior 'A' hurling final

Camross’ third team clashed with Park-Ratheniska/Timahoe’s first team in the Junior ‘A’ hurling championship final in Laois Hire O’Moore Park on Saturday evening. On paper, this looked to be an even clash as Camross’ third team looked strong.

However, Park-Ratheniska/Timahoe proved too hot to handle for Camross here. Gavin Tynan grabbed a brace of goals in either half while Conor Fitzpatrick, Barry Fitzpatrick and Robbie Foyle also shined for the winners.

Park-Ratheniska/Timahoe 3-18

Camross 2-12

Park-Ratheniska/Timahoe’s midfielder Marc Ramsbottom roared them into this affair. Ramsbottom won referee John Lalor’s throw-in before driving forward and planting over.

Conor Fitzpatrick fired over another for Park-Ratheniska/Timahoe minutes later to double their early advantage. Camross did register their first score after that though thanks to a Dan Delaney free.

It was all Park-Ratheniska/Timahoe in the opening ten minutes of proceedings here in Portlaoise. Conor Fitzpatrick fired over another fine score from a similar position where he scored his first.

Then Robbie Foyle, who is their scorer-in-chief for the most part, came alive to torment Camross. Foyle popped over two points from close-range in between firing over another from a very tight angle.

Foyle then should have scored Park-Ratheniska/Timahoe’s first goal of the game. Conor Fitzpatrick flicked the sliotar brilliantly over the Camross defenders to set up Foyle inside, but he saw his goal effort go over for just a point.

Dan Delaney ended Camross’ barren spell by dropping over their second point from a placed ball. The men wearing yellow and amber needed more than Delaney’s frees if they were to keep this competitive though.

Park-Ratheniska/Timahoe full-forward, Conor Brennan, showed his strength to fend off a Camross challenge before Brennan drilled one over the bar.

Then Brennan came close to scoring a goal but saw his shot brilliantly saved by Camross keeper and captain, Thomas Dunphy.

Dan Delaney landed a third Camross point from a placed ball but Park-Ratheniska/Timahoe would finally get the goal they were threatening in the seventeenth minute.

It was centre-forward Gavin Tynan who got it, as he tucked it home nicely past Thomas Dunphy this time. Foyle fired over a free to leave Park-Ratheniska/Timahoe nine clear with ten minutes left in the first half.

Camross, to their credit, finished the half strongly playing against a strong wind. Delaney added two more frees to his name and Camross’ name, as he was their only scorer for the first half.

Park-Ratheniska/Timahoe responded with the next three points though. Two fantastic points from wing-forward Barry Fitzpatrick were sandwiched in between a Foyle free.

Delaney’s score towards the end of the first half proved to be Camross’ only score from play. They trailed 0-6 to 1-12 at half-time, but Camross would play with the wind in the second-half.

Foyle and Delaney (free) traded scores after the interval before Park-Ratheniska/Timahoe struck for goal number two. It was Tynan who buried in his brace as well after he received a nice pass from Cormac Murphy.

Delaney responded with two points from placed balls but Camross required goals as we headed for the last twenty minutes in Laois Hire O’Moore Park.

Conor Fitzpatrick fired over two fine points from play to push Park-Ratheniska/Timahoe’s lead back out to twelve points. However, a fortuitous Tomas ‘Mossy’ Burke goal gave Camross some life.

Delaney cut the deficit to eight points as we entered the final quarter, but Camross still required a massive finish if they were to pull this one out of the hat.

However, that comeback never materialized. Park-Ratheniska/Timahoe professionally saw out the remaining quarter, limiting Camross to frees for Delaney and Dunphy, and a late consolation goal from Delaney.

While at the opposite end, Barry Fitzpatrick, Conor Fitzpatrick and Cormac Murphy floated over points from play. Substitute Paul Ruddy then finished the match in style following Park- Ratheniska/Timahoe’s third goal.