Laois down but not out as All Ireland quarter final looms

Laois’ quest for All Ireland glory in the Intermediate camogie championship will now have to be done the hard way following a disappointing defeat at the hands of Down in Ashbourne on Saturday afternoon. While the result was disappointing, Laois still progress to the quarter final where they will take on Kerry next weekend.

Laois will be disappointed with the defeat, however, attention will quickly turn to next weekend’s crucial quarter final. It was an out of sorts performance from the Laois ladies, as they never really got going and with the exception of the opening eight minutes, Down were the better side for the remaining 52 minutes.

 Down 2-13

Laois 1-8

Laois started well and were the better team in the opening minutes. Jessie Quinlan opened the day’s scoring with a fine effort following some tidy stick work by Liaden C.Fennell. A Paula O’Hagen free equalised for Down before two points from Kirsten Keenan gave Laois a two-point lead inside the first 10 minutes. 

After a shaky start, Down settled and began playing with a new lease of energy. Sara Louise Gaffin pointed for Down and player of the match Niamh Mallon also split the posts after Laois had failed to clear their lines. With the sides now level, it was Down who rallied and two further points from Sarah Louise Gaffin gave them the lead for the first time in the game as we headed to the first water break.

Just before the water break, Laois were dealt a devastating blow. A long ball dropped into the square fell kindly to Niamh Mallon who raced onto the loose ball, and unleashed a thunderous shot past Aedin Lowry in the Laois net to give Down a four-point lead at the first water break.

Down’s dominance continued to show in the second quarter, as they put together some impressive passages of play. Paula O’Hagan pointed her second free of the day before Sorcha McCartan pointed from long range to increase Down’s lead to six. Laois cut the deficit back to four when substitute Sarah Creagh scored, seconds after being introduced. This was quickly followed by a Keenan free to leave Laois just four points down at half time.

With Down being the much better side in the first half, Laois needed a bright start to the second half to bring them back into the game. However, a potential bright start turned into a disastrous start to the half when Lauren Clarke found Sara Louise Griffin who fired to the net after just three minutes of the second half played. Niamh Mallon responded to the goal with two quick fire points and suddenly Laois found themselves nine points down inside the opening 10 minutes of the second half. 

Laois nearly had a goal of their own when Niamh Coss pulled on a loose ball in the square, but she could not find a way past the wall of Down players in front of her. Aisling O’Dea did reduce the lead to eight when she fired over a beautiful point over her shoulder but this would prove to be the closest they came to clawing their way back. 

With Down enjoying a lot of possession, they capitalised on some loose passes and further Mallon points gave them a ten-point lead with 10 to play.

With 58 minutes left to play, Laois found a way to the Down net. The ball dropped around the square and Sara Cuddy reacted quickest as she pulled on it and it flew past the Down defenders into the net. However, as was the case throughout the day, Down always seemed to counteract and they picked off the final two scores of the game courtesy of Paula O’Hagan and substitute Isabella O’Hare to power The Mourne County to an eight point victory.

LAOIS

SCORERS: Kirsten Keenan 0-4 (0-2f), Sara Cuddy 1-0, Jessie Quinlan, Sarah Creagh, Aisling O’Dea, Laura Marie Maher all 0-1 each. 

TEAM: Aedin Lowry, Rachel Bergin, Roisin Kilmartin, Laura Finlay; Clodagh Tynan, Alison McEvoy, Aimee Collier; Jade Bergin, Jessis Quinlan; Joyce Dunne, Niamh Coss, Liaden C.Fennell; Grainne Hyland, Kirsten Keenan, Aisling O’Dea. Subs: Laura Marie Maher for Grainne Hyland (15 mins), Sarah Creagh for Jessie Quinlan (28 mins), Sarah Fleming for Rachel Bergin (32 mins), Sara Cuddy for for Liaden C.Fennell (38 mins), Joan Dollard for Niamh Coss (51 mins).

DOWN

SCORERS: Niamh Mallon 1-5, Sarah Louise Gaffin 1-3, Paula O’Hagan 0-3 (0-3f), Sorcha MacCartan and Isabella O’Hare 0-1 each. 

TEAM: Catherine McGourty; Catriona Caldwell, Dearbhla Magee, Danielle Harrisson; Catherine Rocks, Karen McMullan Fionnuala Carr; Aoife Keown, Paula O’Hagan; Aimee McAleenan, Sara Louise Gaffin, Clara Cowan; Niamh Mallon, Lauren Clarke, Sorcha MacCartan. Subs: Cassie Fitzpatrick for Aoife Keown (30 mins inj), Claire McGilligan for Catherine Rocks (45 mins), Isabella O’Hare for Niamh Mallon (55 mins), Jenna Boden for Fionnuala Carr (56 mins).

Referee: Phillip McDonald (Cavan).