Laois Gaelic footballers triumph in goalfest to book All-Ireland final berth

Laois have booked their place in the All-Ireland Ladies IFC Final after an epic encounter with Monaghan on Sunday afternoon in Glennon Brothers Pearse Park, Longford.

LAOIS 5 - 07
MONAGHAN 1-12

Four goals in the first half and a fifth late on were enough to earn a return to Croke Park for a second All-Ireland final in four years for Laois.

Stephen Duff's side beat Roscommon and Fermanagh to top Group 1 before getting the better of Wexford in the quarter-finals after extra-time. Laois put a sensational attacking performance in the first half and weathered the Monaghan storm after the break to get over the line with the victory.

Laois opened their account in style with a goal in the third minute when Fiona Dooley and Eva Galvin combined to play in Emma Lawlor who made no mistake from close range. Monaghan were on the board through Holly McQuiad and a free from Éabha Sherry before Jennifer Duffy was shown a yellow card for the Ulster side. MORE BELOW PICTURE.

Mo Nerney goals for Laois. Pic: Sportsfile

Laois had the ball in the net for a second time then when Dooley found Jane Moore who played in Ciara Crowley to raise the green flag. Mo Nerney pointed a free before getting on the end of a great move between Galvin and Lawlor to convert her side's third goal in the opening 15 minutes.

Lawlor then joined Duffy in the sin bin before Monaghan raised a green flag of their own when a powerful run from Casey Treanor made space for Sarah Tierney who finished well. McQuaid and Rosemary Courtney pointed for Monaghan but the Laois forwards were on a mission and went through for a fourth goal five minutes before half time when a surging run from Galvin set up Nerney to score her second of the game.

Dooley, Lawlor and a beauty from Emily Lacey increased the Laois lead to nine points but scores from McQuaid and Sherry left it 4-4 to 1-6 at the break.

Monaghan began to chip away at the Laois lead after the restart and the gap was down to five points when Moore was sent to the sin bin with 19 minutes left on the clock. In her absence, Monaghan kicked another three scores to put just two points between the sides, but with Moore preparing to return to the field, she was joined in the sin bin by Monaghan's Treanor.

The Ulster side were then reduced to 13 players when corner back Caoimhe Brennan was shown a red card. Laois wasted little time in closing out the game after that, with Lauren Kearney and Nerney each raising a white flag after they had combined to play in Lawlor for her second and Laois's fifth goal of the game.

Laois will be hoping to repeat the historic feat of 2022 when they saw off Wexford by two points in a Croke Park epic.

SEE PICTURES: Laois show the way with All-Ireland win in 2022

MORE BELOW PICTURE.

Ciara Crowley nets for Laois. Pic: Sportsfile

The 2025 decider will see them square off with Tyrone on Sunday, August 3 in GAA headquarters. Tyrone edged out Westmeath in a thrilling semi-final played Carrick-on-Shannon on Sunday.

Tyrone lost to Leitrim in the 2024 Intermediate final.

SCORERS - Laois: Emma Lawlor (0-1 free) and Mo Nerney (0-2 frees) 2-2 each, Ciara Crowley 1-0, Emily Lacey, Fiona Dooley and Lauren Kearney 0-1 each. Monaghan: Holly McQuaid 0-6 (one free), Sarah Tierney 1-0, Éabha Sherry 0-3 (all frees), Rosemary Courtney 0-2, Niamh Flannigan 0-1.

LAOIS: Eimear Barry (Shanahoe); Sinéad Farrelly (St Joseph's), Clodagh Dunne (Ballyroan), Faye McEvoy (Ballyroan); Aoife Gorman (Timahoe), Anna Moore (St Joseph's), Andrea Moran (Ballyroan); Fiona Dooley (Portlaoise), Jane Moore (St Joseph's); Shifra Havill (St Conleth's), Eva Galvin (St Conleth's), Ciara Crowley (Portlaoise); Emily Lacey (St Joseph's), Emma Lawlor (St Conleth's), Mo Nerney (Timahoe).
Subs: Lauren Kearney (Sarsfields) for Lacey (40), Mary Cotter (St Conleth's) for Gorman (47), Katie Donoghue (Timahoe) for Lawlor (58), Aishling Fitzpatrick (The Heath) for Havill (59). MORE BELOW PICTURE.

Emly Lacey celebrates after in the All-Ireland Ladies Football Intermediate Championship semi-final. Photo: Paul Dargan

MONAGHAN: Órna Kelly; Caoimhe Brennan, Shona Brady, Áine Loughman; Amy Garland, Aoife Burns, Casey Treanor; Grace Hanratty, Sophie Corley; Rosemary Courtney, Holly McQuiad, Lauren Garland; Éabha Sherry, Jennifer Duffy, Sarah Tierney Subs: Katie Sherlock for Kelly (inj, 4), Caoimhe Kelly for Burns (27), Laura Connolly for Loughman (47).

The Laois All-Ireland Ladies Football Intermediate Championship semi-final winning panel. Photo: Paul Dargan

REFEREE: Gerard Canny (Mayo)