Murphy works her magic as Ballyfin crowned Minor ‘B’ champions

Ballyfin are the 2025 LOETB Laois LGFA Minor ‘B’ champions after a superb performance from start to finish against Mountrath on Sunday afternoon.

The victors led by double scores at half-time, and they pushed on in the end to win by 12 points.

The game was played in perfect conditions as the sun shone down on the crisp surface in The Heath GAA.

Ballyfin got off to the better start as Holly Murphy rattled the back of the Mountrath net after five minutes. Niamh Gorman pointed a free soon after as Ballyfin led 1-1 to no score after six minutes.

Mountrath replied with two points from play as Ciara Hyland was quickest to react after Mountrath played a short free before Cara Phelan halved the deficit for the team in red and white. A second green flag was raised for Ballyfin as Murphy got her second goal of the contest. Gorman took her tally to two points with her first score from play.

Ballyfin were on top in the first period and they increased their advantage with two more points from Gorman (free) and Molly Kelly. Rachel Bohan got an important score for Mountrath when she smashed the ball into the top corner.

A second point for Kelly and a long-range free from Gorman saw them into a seven point lead with four minutes of the half left. Bohan added a point to her goal for Mountrath as Ballyfin led by double scores, 2-6 to 1-3, at the break.

The second-half wasn’t quite as exciting as the first, but Ballyfin won’t mind too much as they pulled away to get their hands on the Minor ‘B’ trophy.

Eight minutes passed by before Gorman increased Ballyfin’s advantage. Ella Phelan got her first point of the game for Mountrath, but they’d need goals if they wanted a route back into the game.

A fifth point from the boot of Gorman put Ballyfin in a great position and that was made even greater two minutes later as Jessica Horan played a great pass into Murphy, who completed her hat-trick with a soccer-style finish.

Mountrath’s Bohan ended the game with 1-2 to her name before Ballyfin got in for a fourth goal. Horan was the provider once again as Murphy raised her fourth green flag of the contest. Midfielder Kelly saw her shot at goal tipped over the bar by Ciara Walsh as she rounded off a superb performance with her third point.

Hilliard got a late point for Mountrath, but it wasn’t to be as Ballyfin celebrated wildly at the full-time whistle.

FINAL SCORE

Ballyfin 4-9

Mountrath 1-6

SCORERS — Ballyfin: Holly Murphy 4-0, Niamh Gorman 0-6 (0-4 frees), Molly Kelly 0-3. Mountrath: Rachel Bohan 1-2, Ciara Hilliard 0-2, Cara Phelan and Ella Phelan 0-1 each.

BALLYFIN: Laura McEvoy; Emma Heffernan, Amy Moore, Roisin Brennan; Emma Fitzpatrick, Eimear Meade, Orla Carroll; Aoibheann Conroy, Molly Kelly; Aoibheann O’Rourke, Sophie Cullinane, Jessica Horan; Sophie Sweeney, Molly Murphy, Niamh Gorman. Subs: Aine Quinn for O’Rourke (40 mins), Grace McEvoy for Brennan (43 mins), Niamh Heffernan for Fitzpatrick (48 mins), Ciara Kirwan for Sweeney and Annie Fitzpatrick for Gorman (57 mins)

MOUNTRATH: Ciara Walsh; Annie Cash, Avril Phelan, Doireann Wall; Sarah Dunne, Emma Jane Cuddy, Emma Callaghan; Caoimhe Drennan, Katie Lyons; Katie Kavanagh, Rachel Bohan, Ciara Hilliard; Aoife Hyland, Ella Phelan, Cara Phelan. Subs: Mylee Sydes for Hyland (38 mins), Muireann Bennett for Dunne (48 mins)

Referee: Robbie Moran (Graiguecullen)