Scully on the double as Borris-Kilcotton crowned Laois PIHC champions over Ballinakill

Borris-Kilcotton are the 2024 Laois Shopping Centre Premier Intermediate Hurling champions after they had three points to spare over Ballinakill in Laois Hire O'Moore Park on Saturday evening.

The champions done the majority of their damage in the first-half as they had 2-11 accumulated by the time half-time came. Ballinakill did battle back well but couldn't get a late goal which would have forced a replay.

Borris-Kilcotton 2-16

Ballinakill 0-19

Borris-Kilcotton got off to a flying start and had racked up 1-2 with only four minutes on the clock. Neil Foyle opened the scoring with PJ Scully opening his account from a 65' after Jer Quinlan's goal-bound effort had been blocked by Ryan Quinlan. Scully then drove the ball past Mark Hamm to give Paudie Bourke's side the perfect start. Ethan Drury got Ballinakill up and running after six minutes as he pointed from play.

Colm Stapleton and a second score from Neil Foyle which was set up by the Quinlan's as Noah found Jer and he found Foyle to split the posts. Ballinakill had a chance for goal shortly after but Seamus Fitzpatrick's effort was well-saved by Borris-Kilcotton goalkeeper Eoin Fleming. Ballinakill fired over the next two points courtesy of Fitzpatrick and a second score for Ethan Drury. Scully replied with two scores of his own to take his tally to 1-3 after 14 minutes. Fitzpatrick raised his second white flag of the contest with Eoin Fleming once again called into action from an Ethan Drury effort. 

Borris-Kilcotton then hit 1-4 without reply in a six-minute period. Noah Quinlan won a Ballinakill puck-out and slotted it over while Niall Coss opened his account from half-back. Jer Quinlan was the provider of the second goal as he played in Scully and the latter put the ball into the top-left corner of Mark Hamm's net. Coss pointed a second point from half-back. Jer Quinlan had been superb in the first-half and finally got his name on the score sheet with a splendid score under the stand. It was that man Coss again as he took his tally to three points. Paul Simms (free), two points from Jamie Drury and a point from Ian Shanahan ended the half's scoring. Borris-Kilcotton were in full control as they led 2-11 to 0-8 at the break.

The first two scores of the second-half were traded as Simms (free) and Jer Quinlan split the posts. Gearoid Lynch then got his first score of the evening before Scully pointed his first two frees of the game. Ballinakill reduced the deficit to seven points as Simms (65'), Eddie Dywer and Ben O'Mara all raised white flags. Jer Quinlan and Simms (free) traded scores with Aaron Dunphy splitting the posts for the first time soon after.

Borris-Kilcotton's lead would soon be reduced to just four points as Ballinakill hit four scores unanswered. Paul Simms got his first from play while Fitzpatrick and two more frees from Simms left the game on a knife edge with 2 minutes of added time left. Simms had a chance to reduce it to three but his 65' dropped short. Simms did point a late free but it was too little too late as Borris-Kilcotton won by three points. The victors will now represent Laois in the Leinster Club Intermediate Hurling Championship where they'll be away to the Westmeath champions on Saturday, November 11.