Portlaoise march on as The Town ease into semi-finals of Laois LGFA SFC

Portlaoise sealed direct passage to the semi-finals of the LOETB Laois LGFA Senior Football Championship after a resounding victory against Park-Ratheniska on Saturday evening.

Their triumph, paired with Sarsfields’ success over St Joseph’s, ensured The Town topped Group B and secured the luxury of a week’s rest before the last four.

Despite playing against a strong breeze in the opening half, Portlaoise made the perfect start. Within minutes, Grainne Moran rattled the net after excellent approach play involving Ciara Crowley and Fiona Dooley. Moments later, they tacked on three unanswered points to surge into an early 1-3 to 0-0 lead. Ellen Healy fisted over, before Moran added a brace – one from play and another from a free.

Park-Ratheniska’s challenge worsened when Grace Cunningham received a yellow card for a high challenge on Susie Delaney in the ninth minute. Laura Crawford eventually got them off the mark, while Ellen O’Byrne followed up to bring their tally to two.

Portlaoise, however, were ruthless before the break. Leah Loughman fired over a neat point, Moran buried a powerful free straight to the top corner, and soon after completed her hat-trick with a well-worked move involving Delaney. The scoring burst continued as Moran turned provider for Loughman, who finished smartly for a fourth goal. A Lara Culleton point closed the half with Portlaoise out of sight, leading 4-5 to 0-2.

The second half offered no respite for Park-Ratheniska. Moran restarted the scoring, Delaney quickly followed, and Healy chipped in with her second of the night. Moran then raised her fourth green flag to make it five goals for Portlaoise.

Crowley got in on the act with a goal of her own, and from the resulting kick-out, Park-Ratheniska lost their goalkeeper Meadbh Dunne to the sin-bin after she fouled Crowley. Moran knocked over the free before Grace Cunningham managed a consolation score at the other end. Fittingly, it was Loughman who landed the final point as Portlaoise eased into the semi-finals in emphatic fashion.

The quarter-final line-up will see the reigning county champions St Conleth's take on the 2024 Intermediate champions St Joseph's while Sarsfields will face Timahoe. Portlaoise will take on St Conleth's/ St Joseph's in the semi-finals with Ballyroan playing either Sarsfields or Timahoe in the last four.

FINAL SCORE

Portlaoise 6-10

Park-Ratheniska 0-3

SCORERS– Portlaoise: Grainne Moran 4-4 (1-2 frees), Leah Loughman 1-2, Ciara Crowley 1-0, Ellen Healy 0-2, Lara Culleton and Susie Delaney 0-1 each. Park-Ratheniska: Laura Crawford, Ellen O’Byrne (free) and Grace Cunningham 0-1 each.

PORTLAOISE: Keeva O’Reilly; Ella McNulty, Deirdre Phelan, Sarah Fleming; Rebecca Reddin, Aishling Saunders, Ciara Crowley; Fiona Dooley, Ellen Healy; Lara Culleton, Grainne O’Reilly, Susie Delaney; Shauna Dooley, Grainne Moran, Leah Loughman. Subs: Faye Brown for S Dooley (36 mins), Aoibhe O’Brien for Phelan (42 mins).

PARK-RATHENISKA: Meadbh Dunne; Clodagh Fingleton, Niamh Dunne, Ciara Conroy; Grace Cunningham, Mia Delaney, Mary O’Hara; Keeva Fingleton, Aine Nolan; Tara Byrne, Ellen O’Byrne, Sophie Delahunt; Ailbhe Griffin, Danielle Brennan, Laura Crawford. Subs: Poppy Duff for Delahunt (26 mins), Adah Ramsbottom for Brennan (37 mins), Emer Brennan for Conroy (46 mins), Rachel O’Connell for Crawford (51 mins), Emma Finn for E Brenann (63 mins) 

Referee: Michael Tarpey (Kilcavan)