Kingston brothers kick Arles-Killeen to Laois Senior Football safety against Park-Ratheniska

Park-Ratheniska and Arles-Killeen met in Annanough on Friday evening under the lights in a Laois Shopping Centre SFC relegation semi-final. Arles-Killeen have been no stranger to this type of scenario over the last few years, while this is Park-Ratheniska’s second successive season at this level.

Arles-Killeen have once again managed to engineer their survival in the top-tier of Laois football thanks to a comfortable eleven-point victory here. Despite Arles-Killeen playing most of the match with a man less, Park-Ratheniska had no answer for the Kingston brothers, Donie and Paul.

Arles-Killeen 2-17

Park-Ratheniska 2-6

John Sugrue’s Park-Ratheniska side will now need to find the courage to get back up and defeat the loser of Clonaslee St Manman’s and Rosenallis In the relegation decider in two weeks' time.

Conor Keightley kicked the first score of the evening in Annanough for Arles-Killeen. Paul Kingston then kicked the first of his seven frees over the course of the contest to see them go two ahead.

Park-Ratheniska registered their opening point through James Connolly, who cut on to his weaker right and curled over. Park-Ratheniska won the proceeding kick-out then and Sean Tierney subsequently levelled proceedings.

Arles-Killeen kicked the next three on the trot though to restore their lead. Noel Gaughan charged up from wing-back to fist over the first of the three scores before Colin Dunne drove over two delightful points from play.

However, Arles-Killeen’s early momentum looked to be in a bit of bother when centre-back Dermot Julian was black-carded. Park-Ratheniska’s James Connolly curled over the free and the deficit was back to two.

The fact that they were down to fourteen players didn’t seem to bother Arles-Killeen too much though. They picked off the next 1-3 to stretch their lead out further over Park-Ratheniska.

Paul Kingston kicked over a free before Colin Dunne dropped over his third point of the half from play. Then Arles-Killeen scored their first goal, as Donie Kingston caught a long ball in from Conor Keightley and the big man dispatched to the net.

Paul Kingston placed over another free before Mark Delaney ended the Park-Ratheniska drought with a free of his own. Arles-Killeen’s centre-back, Dermot Julian, had returned to the field at this stage but his time would be short-lived.

Dermot Julian received a yellow card upon his return by referee Maurice Deegan for a late tackle. That yellow was added to his earlier black, which meant Julian was red-carded and Arles-Killeen would have to play the next thirty-five minutes with only fourteen bodies.

Again though, that didn’t deter Arles-Killeen one bit. Colin Dunne showed his strength to shove off his marker before curling over his fourth point of the half.

Then Arles-Killeen scored their second goal before half-time. They took advantage of a short Park-Ratheniska kick-out gone wrong, as Donie fed his brother Paul for the younger Kingston to crash one to the roof of the net.

Arles-Killeen held a 2-9 to 0-4 advantage at half-time and it was fully deserved. They looked like the far hungrier outfit, as Park-Ratheniska required something special to turn this one around.

Paul Kingston kicked the opening point of the second-half from a free but Park-Ratheniska did respond this time. They were awarded a penalty and James Connolly coolly placed home to leave the gap at nine points now.

However, Arles-Killeen showed their experience from this point to not let their opponents back into the contest. The two Kingston brothers, Donie and Paul, again showed their class to pick off the points during this crucial period and keep them out in front.

Midfield duo Podge Dunne and Simon Fingleton fired over a point each for Park-Ratheniska but time was ticking away now. As we headed for the final ten minutes of normal time, Arles-Killeen again found another gear to make sure they were out of sight.

Paul Kingston placed over another free before Donie kicked two points from play. Donie Kingston was substituted off after his second point following an injury, but he more than played his part on the night.

Park-Ratheniska grabbed a consolation goal through substitute David Brennan but it was too little, too late for them. Billy O’Loughlin, who replaced Donie Kingston, dropped over the final score of the day to put the icing on the cake in a brilliant Arles-Killeen display.