Laois U-16s march into All-Ireland ‘B’ final after dominant display against Tipperary

The Laois LGFA U-16 team have an All-Ireland ‘B’ final to look forward to after defeating Tipperary in Dunmore in sweltering conditions on Thursday evening.

Laois’ ability to strike for goals at crucial stages of the opening half proved decisive as they built a commanding 3-6 to 0-4 lead by the interval.

Tipperary could get no closer than seven points after the restart as Laois held firm to secure their place in the All-Ireland final.

Laois came into the game following a break of almost eight weeks since capturing the Leinster title with victory over Dublin in Mullingar.

Tipperary opened the scoring through a Zoe Duggan free. However, Laois responded in the best possible fashion with a goal. Jessica Horan’s effort was batted into the square by Avril Maloney, where Laura Malone reacted quickest to palm the ball to the net. Rebecca Hewitt added Tipperary’s second point before Kate Dowling and Mia Delaney split the posts for Laois.

Laois goalkeeper Aoife Mullins then produced a superb save to deny Farragh Madigan and preserve her side’s advantage. Orla Pamplin reduced the deficit to 1-2 to 0-3 before referee Conor McCarthy called for a welcome water break.

Laois took complete control during the next eight minutes, hitting 1-4 without reply. They dominated the Tipperary kick-outs and reeled off four unanswered points through Delaney, Dowling, Malone and Hanna Luttrell. Horan then intercepted a Tipperary free before sending Dowling through on goal, and she made no mistake with a composed finish to the net.

Madigan pulled a point back for Tipperary late in the half, but Laois struck again before the break. Horan claimed another kick-out and picked out Delaney, who rifled an unstoppable finish to the roof of the net. Laois went in leading 3-6 to 0-4 and were firmly in control at the interval.

Emma Cullinan opened the second-half scoring with a point for Tipperary before Hewitt spurned a glorious goal chance when her effort drifted wide. Dowling replied with her third point of the contest to keep Laois comfortably in front. Emily Fanning and Cullinan, after a clever short free from Fanning, added points to keep Tipperary in touch, although the three-goal gap remained.

The decisive score arrived just before the second-half water break when Horan delivered a superb ball over the top for Delaney to grab her second goal. Laois also had to cope with playing 10 minutes without Sarah Cunningham after she was shown a yellow card. Tipperary responded with a goal from Cullinan, but Sarah Burke settled Laois with a fine point.

Madigan grabbed Tipperary’s second goal with 54 minutes played to cut the gap to seven points. Mullins again came to Laois’ rescue with another outstanding save to deny Madigan a second goal. Delaney and Chelsey Dooley rounded off the scoring as Laois ran out deserving nine-point winners.

Laois will now face Roscommon in the All-Ireland final after they needed extra time to overcome Armagh in Thursday’s other semi-final.

FINAL SCORE

Laois 4-10

Tipperary 2-7

SCORERS — Laois: Mia Delaney 2-3, Kate Dowling 1-3, Laura Malone 1-1, Hanna Luttrell, Chelsey Dooley, and Sarah Burke 0-1 each. Tipperary: Emma Cullinan 1-2, Farrah Madigan 1-1, Rebecca Hewitt, Zoe Duggan (free), Orla Pamplin, and Emily Fanning 0-1 each.

LAOIS: Aoife Mullins (Killeshin), Lily Brophy (St Joseph’s), Lucy Whelan (St Brigid’s), Sarah Cunningham (Park Ratheniska); Áine Conroy (Clonaslee St Manman’s), Saffron Adams (Park Ratheniska), Kara Powders (Portlaoise); Kara Phelan (Portlaoise), Jessica Horan (Ballyfin); Hanna Luttrell (St Conleth’s), Mia Delaney (Park Ratheniska), Chelsey Dooley (Killeshin); Laura Malone (Killeshin), Orlaith McEvoy (Sarsfields), Kate Dowling (St Paul’s). Subs: Grainne Coleman (Portlaoise) for Conroy (41 mins), Sarah Burke (Sarsfields) for McEvoy (46 mins), Maeve McDonald (Sarsfields) for Malone and Molly Fitzpatrick (Park-Ratheniska for Adams (Both 60 mins), Aifric Hennessy (The Heath) for Delaney (63 mins)

TIPPERARY: Avril Moloney; Emma Hally, Laoise McCahey, Patrycja Marcinek; Abbey O’Leary, Katie Bergin, Gemma Mai Barrett; Emma Neary, Meabh Lonergan; Orla Pamplin, Farrah Madigan, Zoe Duggan; Emily Fanning, Rebecca Hewitt, Emma Cullinan. Subs: Aoife Ryan for Hally (30 mins, inj), Lily Gillespie for Barrett (38 mins), Caoimhe O’Neill for Duggan (46 mins), Aobhinn Harris for Pamplin (50 mins), Aifric Mockler for Longergan (60 mins).

Referee: Conor McCarthy (Cork)