Laois Ladies set to play Kildare for the right to stay at Senior grade following Tipperary defeat

The Laois Ladies travelled to the neutral venue of John Locke Park in Callan on Saturday afternoon to take on Tipperary in the relegation qualifier. Tipperary narrowly missed out on a spot in this year’s quarter-finals after a 3-point loss to Meath having previously drawn with Division One champions Armagh. 

A win would have seen Laois retain their Senior status for 2025 but Tipperary arrived with fire in their bellies and proved their ability to remain in the TG4 All-Ireland Senior Championship. 

Tipperary 1-15

Laois 1-4

Tipperary set the pace from the get-go as they rallied up 1-3 with no response from Laois in the opening four minutes. No response from Laois remained the tone for the whole first half as they went scoreless up until half-time. 

Aishling Moloney played a lovely ball into Emma Morrisey who raised a white flag in the first 30 seconds of the game. A hand pass over the top from Anna-Rose Kennedy set up Angela McGuigan who made no mistake in rattling the Laois net. Laois kickouts once more proved a problem as Morrisey gathered one up and slotted between the posts. 

Morrisey once more broke down a Laois attack and a lovely team effort saw Moloney set up McGuigan to raise a third white flag. Moloney pointed three frees while Laura Morrisey got her name on the scoresheet. 

A Laois effort from Lauren Kearney went to the left and wide before Moloney added a fourth free to her tally. A ball over the Tipp defence saw Mo Nerney face to face with Lauren Fitzpatrick in the Tipp goals but a fabulous right fist from Fitzpatrick denied Nerney a goal. 

Clara English pointed down the other end while Moloney earned her first from play with Marie Credon hand passing over the bar. Laura Dillon was shown a yellow card for a dangerous tackle on Emily Lacey in the 28th minute meaning she missed the opening eight minutes of the second half.  Tipp went in at the break comfortably ahead by 1-11 to 0-0. 

Morrissey started the scoring for the second half as she did the first with two fine scores over the black spot. Laois awoke in the 35th minute when Mo Nerney slotted a free over the bar. Moloney beat Eimear Barry but was pulled up for Tipps second square ball in the game. 

Moloney pointed a free off the ground while a Katelyn Downey goal effort was guided to the woodwork by Barry. Aoibhe Byron pointed two long-range frees while Nerney pointed from play. Morrissey raised Tipp’s final white flag giving her five points to her name before Laois charged up the field and were awarded a 45’, taken by Byron into the hands of Katie Donoghue who buried the ball home. Laois awoke in the second half, but Tipp had done enough and secured a comfortable 11-point win in the end. Laois will now face Kildare in the relegation play-off while Tipperary are safe for another year.