Late drama in Laois GAA championship match in Portlaoise

Arles-Killeen kick-started their Laois Shopping Centre SFC with a hugely dramatic win over Rosenallis in Laois Hire O'Moore Park on Saturday afternoon.

Two goals in the opening ten minutes from Colin Dunne had Arles-Killeen in pole position before the captain completed his hat-trick with five minutes remaining in this Laois GAA championship game.

A goal from Brian Fitzpatrick deep into stoppage time looked to have been enough for Rosenallis to force extra time, but last-gasp scores from Sean O’Shea and Oisin Byrne got Arles-Killeen over the line in Portlaoise.

Both these sides started last year’s SFC on the winning side, but their seasons diverged from there. Arles-Killeen put in some memorable performances before losing out to O’Dempsey’s in the quarter-finals, while Rosenallis went on a three-game losing streak that saw them slip into a Relegation Semi-Final only to escape with a win over Ballylinan.

The game was the first of a highly anticipated triple-header, with Arles-Killeen getting off to a dream start when Paul Kingston surged through the Rosenallis defence before playing in Dunne for a goal after just 30 seconds. MORE BELOW PHOTO.

Oisin Byrne scores for Courtwood despite the efforts of Fiachra C Fennell of Rosenallis in Laois Hire O'Moore Park. Pic: Denis Byrne

Rosenallis tried to put that poor start behind them and got the scoreboard moving through Charlie Friel. But after a quiet few minutes, Arles-Killeen produced a scintillating move to slice through the Rosenallis defence before Dunne leathered the ball past Donal Lalor for his second goal in the opening ten minutes.

A Paul Kingston free and one from play from Oisin Byrne had Arles-Killeen seven points up entering the third quarter. There was a flurry of goal chances at either end over the next five minutes, but only a point apiece from Charlie (free) and Jack Friel troubled the scoreboard.

Ennae Byrne pointed twice for Arles-Killeen with an unbelievable save at the other end from his goalkeeper Jason Enright to deny Charlie Friel from point-blank range. Jack Claffey raised an orange flag for Rosenallis just before the end of the half with Charlie Friel pointing another free to leave their side four points adrift at the interval, 2-4 to 0-6.

Claffey began the second half as he had ended the first, curling the ball over from outside the arc. Colin Dunne hit back for Arles-Killeen, but Rosenallis closed the gap further when Jack Friel found the net just four minutes after the restart.

Charlie Friel added a score, but Arles-Killeen hit back with a score from Ennae Byrne, two from Oisin Byrne and two-point free from Paul Kingston, with Claffey on the scoreboard at the other end to leave three points in the difference midway through the second half. 

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Dunne and Charlie Friel swapped scores before Conor Keighley and Joey Shelley got their names on the score-sheet at either end. Claffey landed a free to leave Rosenallis just two points behind, but Dunne completed his hat-trick with five minutes left on the clock, put Arles-Killeen back in the driving seat.

But that was cancelled out almost immediately when Jack Friel scored his second goal of the game – a carbon copy of the first as he drilled the ball low and hard into the bottom corner of the net.

Arles moved to more than a score ahead once more, however, when Ennae Byrne kicked a free from outside the arc. Dunne stretched the lead, but Paddy Keating and Charlie Friel pointed before Eoin Dunne passed inside to Brian Fitzpatric,k who forced the ball into the net in the 63rd minute.

But Arles-Killeen showed serious character to shrug that off and find two scores right at the death as O’Shea and Byrne combined to secure the win which has earned them a round Round 2 derby clash with Killeshin.

Final Score

Arles-Killeen 3-17
Rosenallis 3-15

TEAMS & SCORERS below photo

Rosenallis keeper looks to clear his lines in Laois Hire O'Moore Park Portlaoise. Pic: Denis Byrne

SCORERS - Arles-Killeen: Colin Dunne 3-3, Ennae Byrne 0-5 (two frees), Oisin Byrne 0-4 (two frees), Paul Kingston 0-3 (frees), Conor Keightley and Sean O’Shea 0-1 each. Rosenallis: Jack Friel 2-1, Charlie Friel (two frees) and Jack Claffey (one free) 0-6 each, Brian Fitzpatrick 1-0, Joey Shelley and Paddy Keating 0-1 each.

ARLES-KILLEEN: Jason Enright; Andrew Wall, Joe Mulhare, Ben Griffin; Noel Gaughen, Adam Donoghue, Sean O’Shea; John Mahon, Donie Kingston; Niall O’Rourke, Paul Kingston, Conor Keightley; Oisin Byrne, Colin Dunne, Ennae Byrne.

ROSENALLIS: Donal Lalor; David Dooley, Paddy Keating, Fiachra C-Fennell, Joey Shelly, Oran Gorman, Diarmuid Dooley; John O’Loughlin, Jack Friel; Shane Farrell, Jimmy Hyland, Alex Marron; Jack Claffey, Charlie Friel, Brian Fitzpatrick. Subs: Colin Dunne for Gorman (HT), John Lennon for Farrell (44), Eoin Dunne for Marron (53).
REFEREE: Maurice Deegan (Stradbally)