Camross defeat County champions Clough-Ballacolla after dramatic penalty shootout

There will be a new Senior hurling champion crowned this year as three-in-a-row winners Clough-Ballacolla were defeated in the most dramatic of circumstances by Camross on Sunday afternoon. 

After the first game of the semi-final double header went all the way to extra-time, no one could have thought that this game would go on to have an even more dramatic ending, but it did as we had to go all the way to penalties to find a winner. 

CAMROSS 4-14 

CLOUGH-BALLACOLLA 2-20 

(Camross win 2-1 on penalties)

In the first ever penalty shootout in the Laois Senior Hurling Championship Camross came out on top by 2-1 after an extremely intense and taxing 80 minutes of hurling in testing conditions. 

Remarkably, Camross had just two points scored at half-time in the game after a poor first half where they struggled to battle against the wind and Clough-Ballacolla fired over 11 points to lead by nine. 

Camross found the net twice early in the second half and that instantly made things interesting. They still trailed late on but a goal from Tom Cuddy gave them a one-point lead and Clough-Ballacolla got a point back through Stephen Maher to bring the game to extra time. 

A goal each in the first half of extra time livened things up hugely, but there was plenty more drama to come over the following minutes. 

Camross got just one point in the opening 20 minutes of the game, a free from Dan Delaney and Clough-Ballacolla used the wind wisely by firing over points from all angles. 

Stephen Bergin and Stephen Maher got them underway early on with a brace each. Maher added another from a 65 before he saw a half chance at goal fizz over the bar. 

Cillian Dunne and Maher both pointed and they led by seven after 20 minutes before Tomas Keyes opened his account with an excellent score from the 45 out on the left wing. 

Robbie Phelan, Bergin and Maher all added to Clough-Ballacolla’s tally before half time to put them in a nine-point lead at the break. 

The second half opened with a goal from Tom Cuddy when he drove the ball down towards the goal from midfield and it caught everyone off guard and floated into the net. 

Delaney and Maher traded points before Camross’ second goal on 38 minutes when Keyes did brilliantly to win possession in a ruck in front of the goals and he poked it across to Mark Dowling who buried it. 

Maher and Mark Hennessy increased Clough-Ballacolla’s lead to five again, but they were immediately cancelled out by a Delaney free and an excellent score from play by Zane Keenan after winning a puckout. 

Maher, Bergin and Willie Dunphy all struck midway through the half for Clough-Ballacolla and substitute James Cuddy snuck one in between for Camross, there was five between the sides with 10 minutes left. 

Camross were continuing to claw their way back as Keenan and Eoin Gaughan each split the posts with frees and Keyes added one from play to put just two between them. 

At a time when cool heads and experience is needed the youngest man on the field, Tom Cuddy stepped up and took charge. Mark Dowling found him with a brilliant pass and Cuddy went on a run to the 21 before pulling up and smashing the ball low across the goals into the far corner to give Camross the lead for the first time in the game. 

All of a sudden Clough-Ballacolla were the ones now under pressure to find a score and they did when Maher was fouled and he popped the free over to force the second extra time of the day. 

Extra time opened with a well-executed goal by Oisin Bennett for Camross, but Maher stepped up for Clough-Ballacolla once again by scoring a free and assisting a Willie Dunphy goal minutes later. 

Keyes and Keenan pointed for Camross to put them one ahead at half time in extra time. 

The Camross subs proved to play a huge role in the game as Bennett and Keenan both got on the scoresheet in extra time. Maher hit one back for Clough-Ballacolla before Keenan appeared to win the game for Camross with an exquisite sideline cut from the 45 that sailed over the bar and put them three points ahead with just a minute left to play. 

Clough-Ballacolla were three down and needed a goal. A long ball came from deep and it caught Camross off guard and Tadgh Doran was under pressure to clear it, he didn’t manage to do so and was tackled over the line by Willie Dunphy for a goal, which meant penalties was next up. 

With only three of the 10 penalties taken scores Camross came out on top with Mark Dowling and Tomas Keyes hitting the net for them, whilst Stephen Maher was the only successful taker for Clough-Ballacolla.