Byron the hero as St Conleth's dethrone Portlaoise to claim Laois LGFA Senior Championship

St Conleth's have ended Portlaoise's reign as Laois LGFA Senior champions after they came from behind to get their hands on the Lulu Carroll Cup after a titanic battle in Laois Hire O'Moore Park on Saturday evening.

Portlaoise were going for a third successive county title and had defeated St Conleth's in the last two finals but St Conleth's made sure it would be third time lucky.

St Conleth's 0-12

Portlaoise 1-8

This game was a slow burner with both sides taking a few minutes to get into the game. St Conleth's were the side to open the scoring as the ever reliable Emma Lawlor pointed a free after three minutes. Portlaoise's first score came a minute later courtesy of Ciara Crowley. Grainne Moran kicked the ball over the top for Crowley to run on to and she made no mistake from close-range to rattle the St Conleth's net. Lawlor kicked the next two scores for St Conleth's, one from play which snuck inside the post and a second free after she was fouled herself. 

Ciara Crowley was proving a dangerous player to mark for St Conleth's after she was fouled for a free which Moran converted. Shifra Havill was then fouled as Emma Lawlor took her and St Conleth's tally to four points. The next two points came the way of the three-in-a-row chasing county champions Portlaoise. Leah Loughman opened her account with a free while midfielder Fiona Dooley raised a white flag after a superb team score that was worked all the way up the pitch from a Kiev Gray kick-out.

Portlaoise almost had a second goal but Claire O'Connell stood tall to deny Loughman one-on-one. Lawlor cut Portlaoise's lead to a single point with a fifth score for her side and a fourth free. Shifra Havill thought she had scored a goal but she was adjudged to have fouled Kiev Gray under a high ball and the goal wasn't given. Moran gave Portlaoise a two-point advantage at the break after a strong driving run saw her split the posts. Portlaoise led 1-4 to 0-5.

Portlaoise came out and kicked the opening score of the second period from the boot of Loughman as she pointed a free. Alanna Havill's effort hit the crossbar when going for a point with her sister Shifra Havill picking up the loose ball and kicking her second point. Loughman replied with a free before St Conleth's kicked three points without reply to level the game.  Lawlor scored off her left boot and from a free while Shifra Havill got a point in between. Aisling Kehoe came off the bench for Portlaoise to push them ahead yet again.

The game would be level with four minutes to play as Aoibhe Byron came off the bench to point a free from the top of the D. From the resulting kick-out, Gray slipped when kicking and it looked like Lawlor was going to kick it back over her head but Rebecca Keane fouled Lawlor before she could get her shot away. Byron pointed the free and would kick a third soon after as St Conleth's now led by two with two minutes left on the clock.

St Conleth's ended the game with 13 players after yellow cards were shown to Mary Cotter and Aoife Kirrane. Portlaoise tried to claw back the two points but could only muster up one as Moran kicked the final score. There was wild scenes at full-time as St Conleth's supporters flooded the pitch to congratulate their county final heroes.