Dominant Courtwood cripple Crettyard in Laois GAA Gaelic football clash

This was as one-sided a win for Courtwood as they could have trained for last Saturday night in Laois Hire O'Moore Park as they completely dominated Crettyard in the opening round of the Laois Shopping Centre Senior Football Championship.

Having won the Intermediate Championship last year with an impressive win over Mountmellick, this game marked Crettyard’s return to senior level for the first time since their relegation back in 2019. Courtwood flattered to deceive in last year’s SFC when they wound up in a Relegation Semi-Final, beating Ballyfin to hold on to their status as a senior club.

Throwing in at 7pm, the game brought the curtain down on an enjoyable triple-header at Laois GAA headquarters in Portlaoise.

Courtwood started with two early scores from Alan Kinsella (free) and Ryan Little as they looked to lay down a marker on this game from the very first ball. Crettyard had their chances in the opening stages as well, but they struggled to convert their possession and territory into points on the scoreboard.

Courtwood punished those Crettyard misses when Niall Donoher raised an orange flag with a huge effort from well outside the arc. And things went from bad to worse for the reigning Intermediate Champions when some brilliant play from Mick Doyle saw him get past two defenders before picking out Ryan Little on the inside who forced the ball beyond Eoin O’Shea for a Courtwood goal with just 12 minutes gone on the clock.

Crettyard were finally off the mark when Cormac Murphy kicked a two-point free midway through the first half with Brian Brennan also on target from play. But that only seemed to stir Courtwood who responded with a devastating five-minute period that saw them score 1-4 on the bounce.

It started when Kinsella pointed a free before Donoher claimed the short kick-out and played the ball around O’Shea along the ground to Little who scored his second goal of the game soccer style without either Courtwood player handling the ball. Jake Doyle then slotted a two-pointer before Donoher put nine points between the teams. MORE BELOW PHOTO.

Rob Tyrrell in possession for Courtwood in Portlaoise. Pic: Denis Byrne

Another score from Doyle was quickly cancelled out by a free from Brian Brennan before Little added a two-pointer from play to his tally. Brennan landed on last free for Courtwood as his side ended the half down by 2-11 to 0-5.

Courtwood kept the foot on the accelerator after the restart and ran riot altogether, scoring 0-7 without reply in the opening 15 minutes. Courtwood goalkeeper Matthew Byron kicked two frees – one from outside the arc – and a 45, Kinsella landed one from play plus a free, while Donoher and Cian Doyle each scored beauties to push their side out to a 20-point advantage approaching the final quarter.

READ ALSO: St Joseph's lay down marker

Jonah Kelly then scored Crettyard’s first point of the second half but that was quickly cancelled out by a wonderful shot curled over from Cian Doyle. The Courtwood wing forward pointed again soon afterwards before Brennan slotted a free for Crettyard followed by a two-point free from Cormac Murphy.

Mark O’Halloran added his name to the Courtwood score-sheet late on, with Donoher adding another free to his tally before Patrick Brennan brought Crettyard up to double figures with practically his very first touch. There was no time left after that as Courtwood left O’Moore Park as 19-point winners.

Final Score

Courtwood 2-23
Crettyard 0-10

TEAMS & SCORERS below photo

Former Laois star Niall Donoher in control for Courtwood. Pic: Denis Byrne

Courtwood: Ryan Little 2-3 (one two-pointer), Alan Kinsella 0-5 (three frees), Niall Donoher 0-4 (one two-pointer), Matthew Byron 0-4 (one free, one 45, one two-pointer), Jake Doyle (one two-pointer) and Cian Doyle 0-3 each, Mark O’Halloran 0-1. Crettyard: Brian Brennan (three frees) and Cormac Murphy (two two-point frees) 0-4 each, Jonah Kelly and Patrick Brennan 0-1 each.

COURTWOOD: Matthew Byron; Eoghan Slattery, Dan Boland, Adam O’Halloran; Jake Doyle, Darragh McEvoy, Nathan Little; Sean O’Flynn, Rob Tyrrell; Mick Doyle, Paul O’Flynn, Cian Doyle; Niall Donoher, Ryan Little, Alan Kinsella. Subs: Mark O’Halloran for P O’Flynn (39), Rory Doyle for Tyrell (45), Dylan Keane and Niall Dunne for M Doyle and R Little (both 46).

CRETTYARD: Eoin O'Shea; Evan Dunne, Pierce Nash, Sean Browne; James Kelly, John Brennan, Adam Kavanagh; Paddy O’Reilly, Alex Whelan; Michael Nash, Cormac Murphy, Kyle O’Reilly; Brian Brennan, Jonah Kelly, Mark Delaney. Subs: Brian O’Sullivan for J Brennan (45), Patrick Brennan for Delaney (59).

Crettyard captain on the move. Pic: Denis Byrne

REFEREE: Des Cooney (St Joseph's)