Portlaoise power past Park-Ratheniska to lift Laois LGFA U-16 ‘A’ Championship

Portlaoise have been crowned this year’s LOETB U-16 ‘A’ champions after they got the better of Park-Ratheniska in Saturday’s final in Stradbally GAA.

The game was played as a curtain-raiser to the Senior Championship final with a good crowd in attendance.

There were nearly goals for either side early on as Portlaoise’s Amarachi Obi played in Aishling Dowling, who fired the ball wide. Down the other end, Kate Scully made a great save with her feet to deny Maeve Kelly a goal for Park-Ratheniska.

Park-Ratheniska went three points to no score with eight minutes played as they bossed the possession early on. Mia Delaney was the scorer of all three points with her third being from a free. Portlaoise finally got a score on the board when Molly Jane Dempsey split the posts off her left boot.

Then came the game’s only goal as Ellen Fitzpatrick assisted Leah Brophy, whose shot nestled in the top-corner of the Park-Ratheniska net. Dempsey added two more points to her tally to give Portlaoise a three-point lead at half-time with Brophy’s goal separating the sides.

The second-half began with Fitzpatrick increasing Portlaoise’s lead. Dempsey almost got in for goal to add to her three points, but she missed the target. From the resulting kick-out, Brophy hit the post going for a point with Kara Phelan catching the rebound, but wasn’t able to guide her shot on target. Delaney raised her fourth white flag of the contest to leave a goal between the sides yet again.

Portlaoise’s Kate Scully was determined to keep a clean sheet as she made a great save to deny Erin Kavanagh. Portlaoise kicked on from here and tagged on three more points to all but seal the victory. Kara Powders split the posts after substitute Kayleigh O’Callaghan had made an instant impact when she won a kick-out before playing the ball to Powders. Brophy finished the game with 1-2 to her name as she put the ball between the posts from play and from a free.

Kavanagh got a point back for Park-Ratheniska with 10 minutes to go, but it was goals they would need if they wanted to get back into the contest. Those goals never came as Portlaoise defended superbly and denied their opponents any time they got close to goal. There were joyous scenes at full-time as referee Kevin Phelan blew the whistle to crown Portlaoise champions for 2025.

FINAL SCORE

PORTLAOISE 1-7

PARK-RATHENISKA 0-5

Scorers- Portlaoise: Leah Brophy 1-2 (0-2 frees), Molly Jane Dempsey 0-3, Ellen Fitzpatrick and Kara Powders 0-1. Park-Ratheniska: Mia Delaney 0-4 (0-2 frees), Erin Kavanagh 0-1.

PORTLAOISE: Kate Scully; Samantha Stalbe, Sarah Walsh, Lucy Mulhall; Kara Powders, Alix Cullenton, Caitlin Fitzpatrick; Grainne Coleman, Kara Phelan; Amarachi Obi, Ellen Fitzpatrick, Leah Brophy; Molly Jane Dempsey, Aishling Dowling, Sarah Donoghue. Subs: Rachel Kelly for Walsh and Kayleigh O’Callaghan for Dowling (Both 40 mins), Emma Scully for Dempsey (61 mins)

PARK-RATHENISKA: Cara Deegan; Anna Szwaglis, Moya Ramsbottom, Kate Ging; Riona Dunne, Molly Fitzpatrick, Sarah Cunningham; Saffron Adams, Mary O’Hara; Adah Ramsbottom, Mia Delaney, Charlotte Lawlor; Erin Kavanagh, Maeve Kelly, Kate Conroy. Subs: Grace Fennelly for Kelly (HT), Lily Reid for Szwaglis (40 mins), Lucy Keenan for Lawlor (54 mins)

Referee: Kevin Phelan (St Brigid’s)