St Conleth's triumph in extra-time tussle with Sarsfields to reach Ladies SFC final once more

St Conleth’s and Sarsfields clashed in the Old Pound on Saturday afternoon in the Laois Ladies Senior football semi-final. Sarsfields are nine-time champions of this competition, but their last triumph was back in 2019, so this year was a massive chance for them to get back on top.

However, St Conleth’s have had a number on their semi-final opponents over the last few seasons and that proved to be the story here again. After a titanic tussle in tough conditions that went to extra-time, St Conleth’s finished the stronger to ensure their spot in the final once more.

St Conleth's 1-15

Sarsfields 3-7 (AET)

Sarsfields drew first blood on a soaked pitch in O’Dempsey’s GAA. Clare Conlon cut on to her trusty left peg and curled one over to get Sarsfields on the board.

It was the home team who were by far the better side for the opening quarter though. Aoibhe Byron pointed her first of eight frees on the day to get St Conleth’s on the scoreboard before Marie Byrne doubled their tally from play.

Aoibhe Byron added another and then St Conleth’s scored the first goal of the game. Eva Galvin found Sinead Cullen inside and Cullen crashed one into the net just under the crossbar.

Eva Galvin then added another from the resulting Sarsfields kick-out, as St Conleth’s were piling the pressure on their opponents with their pressing from the front. This contest was in danger of getting away from Sarsfields already.

However, Donncha Phelan’s team had a timely response in the seventeenth minute of the match. Laura Marie-Maher played a one-two with Amy Ring before Marie-Maher palmed to the net to get Sarsfields back into this one.

St Conleth’s replied with the next two points though. Sinead Cullen added to her earlier goal by firing over the crossbar and then Byron landed another placed ball between the posts.

Sarsfields kept themselves right there as we approached half-time though. Clare Conlon (free) and Lauren Kearney landed points in reply for them.

Byron and Conlon exchanged points before Eva Galvin grabbed the final score of the first half. This left St Conleth’s 1-8 to 1-4 ahead at the interval in Killenard.

St Conleth’s looked like they might pull away again straight after the break. Byron dropped over two more points from placed ball to push the home outfit six to the good.

Sarsfields have always been a resolute and dogged outfit down through the years though and they successfully turned this one around. Conlon knocked over a free before they were awarded a penalty after Aerin Ryle was brought down inside the square.

Conlon stepped up and coolly sent St Conleth’s keeper Megan Walsh the wrong way. Five minutes later and Sarsfields scored a third goal to take a one-point lead heading into the final ten minutes of normal time.

Laura Marie-Maher’s shot from distance fell short but the ball spilled out in front of the goals and Aerin Ryle was on hand to finish home. St Conleth’s were left shocked but they managed to come up with an answer down the stretch.

The impressive Sinead Cullen fired over a point from close-range to level the sides in the fifty-sixth minute. While Conlon edged Sarsfields back in front with a converted free, Byron held her nerve as well in injury-time to send this semi-final into extra-time.

It was St Conleth’s who started the stronger in extra-time. Substitute Naoimi Luttrell landed a lovely score to put St Conleth’s back in front in the first half of extra-time.

Then Byron doubled the St Conleth’s cushion, as she proved unrelenting from placed balls throughout. Amy Ring managed to fire over Sarsfields only score in the first of extra-time to leave a point in it once more.

 However, St Conleth’s defence held firm for the second-half of extra-time and that saw it out for them. Cullen crashed over the only score of the final ten minutes of extra-time to assure St Conleth’s of their place back in the Ladies Senior county final.