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King the difference as Rathdowney-Errill seal Laois SHC county final place with victory over Abbeyleix
Ross King scored 1-7 on Sunday
Reporter:
Barry McEvoy
22 Sept 2024 4:04 PM
Rathdowney-Errill are back in the final of the Laois Senior Hurling Championship for the first time since 2019 as they overcame Abbeyleix by three points in O’Moore Park on Sunday afternoon.
Like many a time before, Ross King led the scoring charts for his side with 1-7, with his goal coming at a crucial point midway through the second half as the sides sat level.
RATHDOWNEY-ERRILL 1-19
ABBEYLEIX 3-10
Rathdowney-Errill took control of proceedings from there and added four points in the final 10 minutes to take a commanding six point lead into injury time before a goal at the death for Abbeyleix lessened the gap, but was in vain as the final whistle blew immediately after.
Entertainment wise it was a far cry from the meeting between this pair at this stage of last year’s championship, but that will matter little to Rathdowney-Errill who overturned the 2023 result and will now look to claim the Bob O’Keeffe Cup for the seventh time in their history.
A drab six minutes without a score opened the game until Colin Byrne found himself in possession on the 21 and rifled the ball into the top corner to send Abbeyleix three points ahead and he soon followed with a point.
Ross King and Eoghan Fennelly traded a brace of scores each and Damien Madden pulled off an excellent save to deny Colin Byrne a second goal as the low rate of scoring continued and Abbeyleix led by four after 21 minutes.
Rathdowney-Errill battled back to draw level with four scores in succession, the first from Brandon McGinley after breaking two tackles before Tadhg Dowling followed with a pair of long range attempts.
Padraig Rafter levelled the sides on 26 minutes before Fennelly replied with a free.
Eric Killeen and Liam Delaney traded a brilliant pair of scores each as half time neared, there was still time for another score at each end however as Ross King and Cormac Byrne each raised a white flag to make it 1-6 to 0-8 in favour of The Fung at half time.
The second half also began with a scoreless six minute period before Scott Pearson notched his first of three points and King got his first of the half after a good pass inside from McGinley.
The free takers went toe to toe again midway through the half with a pair of points each before King went one further with a point from play after showing electric pace to break away.
It appeared as though Rathdowney-Errill were beginning to turn the screw, but they were given a firm reminder of the danger that Abbeyleix possessed when Liam Doyle played a brilliant long diagonal ball towards Cormac Byrne who rose up to flick the sliotar into the path of Eoghan Fennelly who volleyed the ball in one fell swoop into the net.
That goal awakened the beast in Rathdowney-Errill as they would go on to hit the next 1-4 to no reply to take a commanding lead approaching the final five minutes. Ross King was denied an immediate goal in response after a great save by Enda Rowland, though Eoin Bourke was on hand to slot the point after the rebound.
Paddy Purcell followed with his sole score of the game, an excellent effort on the 65 after picking off the ground and tearing into space. Rathdowney-Errill drove home the advantage as Eoin Bourke did great work out wide and got the sliotar to Tadhg Dowling who found King in space on the 21 and he made sure Rowland could do nothing to stop this goal.
Scott Pearson added a quick brace in the aftermath and five points now split the teams before Fennelly struck a free back in response. Two scores late on from James Ryan and Tadhg Dowling meant that Abbeyleix now trailed by six in injury time.
They needed goals and they had a trio of 65s late on to try to salvage one, and on the third attempt they eventually breached the Rathdowney-Errill goal-line as Fennelly latched onto the ball in from Rowland, but it was in vain as Patrick Phelan blew the final whistle on the puckout.
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