Laois senior hurler powers The Harps to Division 4 league football crown

ALL COUNTY DIVISION 4 FOOTBALL LEAGUE FINAL

The Harps 0-15

Emo 0-7

Powered on by Laois senior hurler Ciaran Comerford, The Harps claimed the an early piece of 2021 silverware after they defeated Emo by eight points to claim the Division four football league title on Wednesday night.

Played in the LOETB Centre of Excellence, The Harps were the better team throughout but only really pulled away in the final quarter with Comerford top scoring with five points.

Emo had their purple patches but apart from taking an early lead through a Dylan Langford free in the second minute, they couldn't get out in front of The Harps.

Emo looked sharp in those opening stages but couldn't make it count on the scoreboard and Comerford opened his account from a free on seven minutes to level the game. Soon after he added a point from play and The Harps grew into the game from that juncture.

The Harps could have had two goals before the water break but they had to make do with a couple of points instead. Cathal Murphy cut in from the left hand side and his bullet of a shot blazed over the bar. Minutes later a Ciaran Comerford free dropped short and Fionn Whelan fisted effort just sailed over the bar.

Ross Meredith kept Emo in touch but at the first water break, it was The Harps who led 0-5 to 0-2.

The second quarter of the game was to turn out to be the most fruitful period of the game for Emo. Moving well all over the field, points from Glen Brophy and the impressive Dylan Langford on the edge of the square had it back to a one point game with just over five minutes left in the half.

Langford was a man on form and his long range effort brought the sides level but just as it looked like the teams would go in level at half time, that man Ciaran Comerford landed another free to put their noses in front to lead 0-6 to 0-5 at half time.

Aaron O'Grady and Langford swapped early points on the restart but the Harps were beginning to find their groove. Conor Delaney landed a neat score before two more from Comerford stretched their advantage.

Pat Walshe added his name to the scoresheet before Conor Delaney fired over his second of the game after a patient build up to leave the Durrow outfit with a comfortable 0-12 to 0-6 lead at the second water break.

Emo were not going away though and they battled on despite the six point gap. 10 scoreless minutes ensued before Langton got one back for Emo with 58 minutes on the clock.

Cathal Murphy put The Harps back into a six point lead but with 10 minutes of injury time added on, Pat Walshe and Comerford added to their tallies as The Harps pushed the winning margin out to eight points.

THE HARPS

Scorers: Ciaran Comerford 0-5 (0-4 frees), Conor Delaney 0-3, Cathal Murphy and Pat Walshe 0-2 each, Fionn Whelan, Darren Maher and James Duggan 0-1 each

Team: Paul Shorthall; Jake Downey, Podge Delaney, Cathal Phelan; Rian Edwards, Padraic Dunne, Aaron O’Grady; Pat Walshe, Cathal Murphy; Niall Brophy, Ciaran Comerford, Darren Maher; Adam Kenna, Fionn Whelan, Conor Delaney.

EMO

Scorers: Dylan Langford 0-5 (0-2frees), Ross Meredith and Glen Brophy 0-1 each

Team: Keith Langford; Paddy Dunne, Ian Fennelly, Eoin Montague; Tommy Keegan, Evan Joyce, David Fennelly; Chris Gleeson, Mickey Dowling; Tommy Fennelly, Ross Meredith, Eamonn Donnelly; Glen Brophy, Dylan Langford, Rory Meredith. Subs: Niall Wheeler for Donnelly (26m), John O'Connor for Brophy (41m), Liam Kitchen for R Meredith (60m), Jack Ryan for D Fennelly (60m), Diarmuid Owens for Dowling (63m)

Referee: Johnnie Brennan (St Joseph's)

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