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16 Mar 2026
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16 Mar 2026
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Tom Cuddy, Camross, playing this sliotar on Saturday as Ciaran Comerford, The Harps, moves to hook. Photo: Denis Byrne
The Harps made the journey up to Camross on Saturday afternoon for a mouth-watering opener to the 2026 campaign of Division 1 in the ACHL, and it certainly didn’t disappoint.
The sides shared the spoils after an intense sixty minutes of hurling in the newly upgraded surrounds of Camross GAA, with both teams disappointed to be coming away without a win for a variety of reasons.
The Harps arguably looked the more impressive of the teams but Camross' grit and determination kept them within arms' reach for the duration of the game, despite going down to 14 men early on in the first half and a late goal from sub Dwane Palmer fired them right back into contention with just minutes left to play.
Both clubs are coming into the season under new management with Camross man Mossy Burke taking charge of his own club while The Harps have drafted in former Laois SHC winning manager with Borris-Kilcotton, Ken Hogan to lead them forward.
While both sides were without their prominent intercounty players, Camross were able to call upon Eoghan Cuddy at half back and The Harps had both Padraic Dunne and Ciaran Flynn in their backline.
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The visitors made an electrifying start to the game with a brace of points each from John Brophy and Ciaran Comerford to take an early four point lead, though it took just seven minutes for Camross to claw it back with points from Eoghan Cuddy, Gearoid Burke and the midfield duo of Zane Keenan and Liam Delaney.
A trio of frees for Comerford saw The Harps take a three point lead again and most notably in the midst of those frees was a red card brandished to Darragh Duggan for a wild pull on James Duggan as he ran in on goal.
Camross rallied even stronger this time around as Zane Keenan lashed home a penalty after Dan Comerford fouled Darren Drennan off the ball and just two minutes later the hosts raised another green flag when David Mortimer won possession on the 21 and fired into the corner of the net.
A Keenan free and a Drennan sideline increased the Camross lead to five before late scores from Comerford, Duggan and Cathal Murphy cut the gap back to two before half-time.
An outrageous score from Conor Dunne and a Comerford free brought the sides level immediately after the restart and the sides would trade scorer for score with Keenan (2) and Daniel Delaney on target in reply to Comerford, Duggan and Brophy.
With the pair now level midway through the half The Harps made a big breakthrough when Liam Kirby finished off a great move by Duggan and Murphy by almost running the ball into the net for a huge goal. Camross were doing the majority of the attacking in the second half but their shooting was nothing less of atrocious with ten wides in the second half alone, nonetheless Keenan (2) and Delaney traded a trio of scores with Comerford (2) and Brophy, yet the hosts still trailed by three approaching the final five minutes.
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The game was played in Fr Breen Park, and the home side had the advantage of the breeze, but they didn’t use it whatsoever as they trailed 1-9 to 0-7 at the break.
Clough/Ballacolla didn’t waste any time in getting their first score as Willie Dunphy rattled the back of the net to give them the perfect start against the wind. Abbeyleix replied almost instantly as Eoghan Fennelly got his first of nine points before Stephen Bergin pointed a free for the away side.
Bergin scored his and Clough/Ballacolla’s second point after he played a one-two with Colm Brennan from a free before splitting the posts. It was that man Fennelly again for Abbeyleix, as he took his tally to three points. Scores from Podge Brennan and Bergin (free) pushed Clough/Ballacolla four points in front after 18 minutes.
Fennelly (free) and Kevin Mulhall traded scores before Bergin got two points in a row from placed balls. Three points were then scored in a matter of a minute or so as Fennelly pointed a free and from that puck-out, Mulhall pointed down the other end and then from that restart, Liam Kavanagh scored to make it 1-8 to 0-6. Bergin and Fennelly scored a point each before the break, but it was Clough/Ballacolla who went into the dressing rooms the happier as they led by five and knew they’d have the aid of the strong breeze in the second period.
The second half was dominated by Clough/Ballacolla as they scored seven points without reply to start the half and put the game well beyond Abbeyleix at this stage. Cormac Hogan, Jordan Walshe, Brian Corby, Colm Brennan and three frees from Bergin put them 13 points up. Fennelly finally got Abbeyleix’s first point of the half with 18 minutes having been played.
Three more frees followed for Bergin as Fennelly did likewise down the other end when he raised two white flags. The final score of the game saw substitute John Dwyer raise the game’s second green flag and see Clough/Ballacolla record a 15-point victory in the opening round of the league.
Clough/Ballacolla will face Camross in Round 2, in what will be a repeat of the 2025 Laois SHC County Final, while Abbeyleix will face Rathdowney/Errill.
FINAL SCORE
Clough/Ballacolla 2-19
Abbeyleix 0-10
SCORERS– Clough/Ballacolla: Stephen Bergin 0-12 (0-11 frees), Willie Dunphy and John Dwyer 1-0 each, Kevin Mulhall 0-2, Brian Corby, Colm Brennan, Jordan Walshe, Cormac Hogan and Podge Brennan 0-1 each. Abbeyleix: Eoghan Fennelly 0-9 (0-6 frees), Liam Kavanagh 0-1.
CLOUGH/BALLACOLLA: Peter Rafter; Lochlainn Conway, Darren Maher, Joseph Pearson; Ronan Broderick, Cormac Hogan, Brian Corby; Podge Brennan, Kevin Mulhall; Mark Hennessy, Robbie Phelan, Colm Brennan; Stephen Bergin, Willie Dunphy, Kevin Hyland. Subs: John Dwyer, Jordan Walshe, Emmet Saunders, Joe Corby, Sean Corby.
ABBEYLEIX: Enda Rowland; Davin Walsh, Aaron Carroll, Eamon Fitzpatrick; Lewis Churchouse, Cillian McEvoy, Jack Finlay; Mick Parlon, Sam Quinn; Colm Walsh, Eoghan Fennelly, Eli Quinn; Sean O’Donnell, Liam Kavanagh, Dan Jones. Subs: Alan Lynch, Ross Coffey, Colin Byrne, Stephen Thompson, Lawson Obular
Referee: Ronan Devaney (Castletown)
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