Abbeyleix defeat Rathdowney-Errill to record first Championship win of 2025

Abbeyleix have won their first game of this year's Laois Shopping Centre SHC, beating Rathdowney-Errill by four points after an absurdly entertaining game of hurling in O'Moore Park on Friday evening. The sides were level multiple times throughout the game before three late scores from Cormac Byrne guided Abbeyleix to their maiden win.

Rathdowney-Errill had two wins in their first two games coming into this game, following wins over Rosenallis and Ballinakill. At the same time, Abbeyleix lost to The Harps first time out before a draw with Castletown gave them their first point of the Championship. The previous two SHC meetings between these sides have both been in the semi-finals, with one win apiece. Rathdowney-Errill came out on top last season, while Abbeyleix prevailed in 2023.

Scores from Liam Kavanagh, Enda Rowland, Colin Byrne and Ciaran Byrne had Abbeyelix in front in the early goings, but Brandon McGinley showed tremendous strength and speed to carry the ball beyond three defenders before firing his shot past Rowland and into the net.

Mark Kavanagh pointed a free to push Rathdowney-Errill two points in front after ten minutes only for Abbeyleix to land the next five scores on the bounce, including another two from Cormac Byrne, as they led by four points midway through the first half.

Rathdowney-Errill responded incredibly well with the next four points in a row courtesy of Paddy Purcell, James Ryan and two from Mark Kavanagh. Eli Quinn stopped the rot with Abbeyeleix's first score for ten minutes with Killian Byrne pointing soon after.

Two scores at the other end from Kavanagh had Rathdowney-Errill back in front just before the break, but Cormac Byrne drew level again before a sensational team move two minutes into injury time was finished off with a superb strike from Liam Kavanagh, sending the Abbeyleix fans into raptures Colin Byrne added another score on the whistle to leave Abbeyleix four points up at half time, 1-13 to 1-9.

Rathdowney-Errill slotted the first three scores in quick succession after the restart from Mark Kavanagh, Padraig Rafter and Eoin Bourke before Abbeyleix responded in kind with three of their own without reply from Ciaran Byrne, Cormac Byrne and Liam Kavanagh.

The sides traded another two scores apiece as it remained a four-point game approaching the final quarter.
The game was level with ten minutes to go after four successive scores from Rathdowney-Errill, including another two from Kavanagh. The full forward was pinpoint accurate as he scored 0-11 off nine frees, but his biggest contribution was his work off the ball, particularly in creating space for those around him and his willingness to cover a huge amount of ground to help his team win back the ball.

But Abbeyleix raised their second green flag of the game to retake the lead thanks to Colin Byrne. They pulled further ahead, but Rathdowney-Errill made it a one-point game when they found the net for a second time with Tadgh Dowling scoring off the bench. Abbeyleix would not be denied, however, and closed out the game with three unanswered scores, all from Cormac Byrne, to leave O'Moore Park with the win.

Up next, Rathdowney-Errill will play reigning champions Clough-Ballacolla in a repeat of last year's County Final, while Abbeyleix will take on the 2024 PIHC winners, Borris-Kilcotton.

Final Score

Abbeyleix 2-23

Rathdowney-Errill 2-19

SCORERS - Abbeyleix: Cormac Byrne 0-9 (four frees, one '65), Liam Kavanagh 1-4, Colin Byrne 1-2, Eli Quinn, Enda Rowland (frees), and Ciaran Byrne 0-2 each, Colm Walsh and Killian Byrne 0-1 each. Rathdowney-Errill: Mark Kavanagh 0-11 (nine frees), Brandon McGinley and Tadgh Dowling 1-0 each, Paddy Purcell 0-2, Ray Bowe, Padraig Rafter, James Ryan, Jack Kelly, Eoin Bourke and Eoin Bracken 0-1 each.

ABBEYLEIX: Enda Rowland; Mark Cahill, Oisin Carroll, Eamon Fitzpatrick; Aaron Carroll, Eli Quinn, Jack Finlay; Sam Quinn, Colm Walsh; Ciaran Byrne, Fionan Mahony, Killian Byrne; Cormac Byrne, Liam Kavanagh, Colin Byrne. Subs: Eoin Reilly for E Quinn (52), Lewis Churchouse for Cahill (56), Stephen Thompson for Kavanagh (59).

RATHDOWNEY-ERRILL: Damien Madden; Shane Bracken, Liam O’Connell, Shane Madden; Kevin O’Dea, Padraig Rafter, Thep Fitzpatrick; Ray Bowe, Paddy Purcell; James Ryan, Jack Kelly, Eoin Bourke; Brandon McGinley, Mark Kavanagh, Eoin Bracken. Subs: David Poynton for O’Dea (43), John Keane for Bowe (48), Tadgh Dowling for McGinley (52).

REFEREE: John Lalor (Shanahoe)

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