REPORT: Portlaoise storm through to Ladies senior football final

Portlaoise ladies footballers continued their winning streak as they booked their spot in next week’s Senior Championship final after a huge win over St Brigid's in Rathleague this evening. 

Laois Ladies Football Senior Semi Final

Portlaoise 5-14

St Brigid's 0-7

Portlaoise remain unbeaten after strong performances in the championship to date but St Brigid's didn’t let them snatch the win too easily by applying much pressure in the first half.  Having suffered a loss to St Conleth’s and beating Timahoe following a thrilling playoff, St Brigids’ second half performance.

Shaunagh Jackson was on form hitting 2-7 for The Town, keeping her track record for the season very impressive. 

Both sides were missing two key players in the form of Rebecca Reddin for Portlaoise and Caoimhe Simms for St Brigid's, both out with injury. Portlaoise lead by 12 points at half time and it was clear St Brigid's had a big hill to climb to get back into the game but an Aisling Lacey point was all they could muster up on the scoreboard.

Though the score line did not reflect the fight by Brigid's, Portlaoise were off to a good start thanks to points from Aisling Kehoe and Leah Loughman in the opening minutes. Maeve Gallagher raised the white flag for St Brigid's moments later but it Portlaoise’s ability to dominate the kick outs pushed them on. 

Loughman, Kehoe and Shaunagh Jackson hit three points before St Brigids’ Ciara Moore popped over a free for the visiting side. Sarah Anne Fitzgerald made her presence known just before the water break and rattled the Brigids net to leave six points between the sides after 15 minutes. 

The quick break did both sides good as they played great football in the build up to half time. Jackson hit 1-1 in the second quarter of the game complimented by a score from Alison Taylor and a cracking goal from Fiona Dooley. St Brigid's made it clear that they were not going anywhere and it was Fiona Fennessy, Saoirse Byrne and Moore who split the posts to leave the score 3-9 to 0-6 at half time.

The second half belonged to Portlaoise. Though they had a slower start to the second half, they upped their work rate after the second water break. Despite great efforts and attacks from St Brigid's, a few unlucky wides and missed opportunities set them back  and as a result, scored just one more point before the final whistle which came off the boot of Aisling Lacey.

Kehoe, Jackson and Loughman all had their say before Jackson nailed her second goal of the game after a stellar performance. The nail in the coffin came moments before the whistle in the form of a Kirsten Keenan goal, who got on to multiple attacks after being introduced to the game in the 48th minute. 

In the other semi final, Sarsfields overcame St Conleths to ensure their county final place. The Mountmellick side will be out to redeem themselves having been beaten by The Town earlier in the championship in what is set up to be a cracker. 

The Ladies Championship football final will take place next Saturday, September 26.

Portlaoise  

Shaunagh Jackson (2-7, 0-2 frees), Sarah Anne Fitzgerald (1-1), Fiona Dooley (1-0), Kirsten Keenan (1-0), Aisling Kehoe (0-3), Leah Loughman (0-2), Alison Taylor (0-1)

Team: Aoife Conlon Hyland, Ciara Byrne, Sarah Fleming, Claire Dunne; Alison Taylor, Sarah Anne Fitzgerald, Aishling Saunders; Fiona Dooley, Ellen Healy; Amy Byrne, Leah Loughman, Julia Cahill; Aisling Kehoe, Shaunagh Jackson, Grainne Moran. Subs: Emma Dunne for Kehoe, Kirsten Keenan for Fleming, Anna Fitzgibbon for Loughman, Ciara Delaney for Moran.

ST Brigid's  

Ciara Moore (0-3, 0-2 frees), Aisling Lacey (0-1), Maeve Gallagher (0-1), Fiona Fennessy (0-1), Saoirse Byrne (0-1)

Team: Aisling Byrne; Emer Brennan, Amy Potts, Tara Kelly; Saoirse Byrne, Lisa Walsh, Fiona Fennessy; Jane Moore, Aisling Lacey; Niamh Phelan, Anna Moore, Maeve Gallagher; Aoife Gallagher, Ciara Moore, Jessica Byrne. Subs: Kate Fenlon for M. Gallagher, Lizzie Brophy for J. Byrne, Siobhan Kay for C. Moore, Christina Byrne for A. Byrne