Rathdowney-Errill hammer Castletown to progress to semi-finals of Laois SHC

In what was essentially a dead rubber after Camross defeated Portlaoise in the first game of the day, Rathdowney-Errill cruised to victory over Castletown in the final group game of this year's Laois Shopping Centre SHC in Laois Hire O'Moore Park this afternoon.

Rathdowney-Errill 1-32 

Castletown 2-12

Rathdowney-Errill set the pace in the early stages as they racked up 1-3 within the first seven minutes to Castletown's no-score. Paddy Purcell opened the scoring with his Laois counterpart Ross King pointing two frees. Another member of the Laois Senior Hurling panel, Eric Killeen blasted the ball beyond Gearoid Gaughan to give his side a great start.

Dylan Conroy got Castletown off the mark in the contest as first he pointed before raising a green flag after a brilliant strike into the bottom corner. Rathdowney-Errill fired over the next four points in response to Conroy's 1-1. Scott Pearson, Eric Killeen, Eoin Bourke and Roddy King all raised white flags for Enda Meagher's side.

The game followed a pattern of scores without reply as Castletown struck over the next three points. Conor Walsh and two frees from Tadgh Cuddy left the score at 1-7 to 1-4 after 19 minutes. Rathdowney-Errill pushed their lead to six points soon after courtesy of points from Darragh Carroll, Pearson and Purcell. Gearoid Gaughan pulled a superb save from Paddy McCane to deny Rathdowney-Errill a second green flag before Roddy King raised a fourth white flag. Joseph Phelan scored from play to end Castletown's scoring in the first period but Rathdowney-Errill ended the half with three more scores. Points from Roddy King, Killeen and Liam O'Connell gave their side a 1-14 to 1-5 at the break.

Castletown's Conor Doran got the first score of the half but they would have to wait 10 minutes to score another point and in that time, Rathdowney-Errill raised eight white flags. Pearson pointed the first two with Roddy King scoring three frees. Paddy Purcell, Killeen and Eoin Bourke got the other three points. Conor Doran and Conor Walsh got two scores back for Castletown. Brandon McGinley and Cuddy (free) traded points as did Roddy King and the aforementioned Cuddy. Roddy King and Paddy McCane pointed to leave the score at 1-26 to 1-10 with 10 minutes to play. 

Martin Phelan and Tadgh Dowling opened their accounts for their respective sides before Phelan got Castletown's second goal with a well-taken score. Rathdowney-Errill tacked on five more scores courtesy of Roddy King (two), Liam O'Connell, James Ryan and Dowling. Cuddy got the final score of the game for Castletown as Rathdowney-Errill won by 17 points in the end.

Rathdowney-Errill go straight through to the semi-finals while Castletown's season is now over after finishing bottom of the group.