Park-Ratheniska relegated as Graiguecullen set up showdown with The Heath

Park-Ratheniska’s stay in the Laois Shopping Centre Senior Football Championship has lasted just a year after they were relegated by Graiguecullen in Stradbally on Friday evening.

Both sides came into the game knowing there was no margin for error with the losers relegated and the winners given one last chance to save thier SFC status against the winner of the other Relegation Play-Off between The Heath and Clonaslee St Manman’s, a game which the former won to send Clonaslee St Manman’s down alongside Park-Ratheniska.

It tees up a clash in two weeks between Graiguecullen and The Heath where the winner will play in the SFC in 2027, while the loser will become the third team to go down to the Intermediate grade for 2027.

Graiguecullen had purple patches at different stages on Friday evening, including one in the second half where they scored 2-2 to Park-Ratheniska’s single point in the 15 minutes after half-time. They also scored six points in a row in nine minutes to pull clear of Park-Ratheniska and in truth, they never looked back as they won by seven points in the end.

The victors scored the first two points as Brian Byrne set up Josh O’Brien to score before Byrne scored a point of his own. Park-Ratheniska hit back with two scores of their own courtesy of Cian Nolan and Conor Hayden, but that’s as good as it got really as from here, Graigue dominated every aspect of the game.

Cathal Tierney made a save to deny Dylan Murphy a goal after he was played in by Aaron Dorgan with Murphy kicking the resulting 45’ between the posts. Mark Timmons then popped up with his customary two-pointer off the outside of his right foot. Danny O’Brien and Murphy (free) added a point each before Brian Byrne was denied a goal when Brendan Greene got back on the line to clear his effort. Murphy’s third point with 20 minutes played put Graigucullen six points up.

Simon Fingleton opened his account with a free in reply. Trevor Collins scored Graigucullen’s final point of the half before Brian and Simon Fingleton raised a white flag each. Graiguecullen went into the dressing rooms with a four-point lead, 0-9 to 0-5.

The second half took its time to get going with eight minutes going by before the first score arrived. It came for Graiguecullen in the form of a goal as Aidan Bradley, who had only come on two minutes earlier, palmed the ball into the net after Murphy put it across the square in the air. Bradley added a point to push his side eight clear with 20 minutes to go.

Simon Fingleton registered his side’s first score of the half, but it didn’t come until the half was a dozen minutes old. The game was pretty much over with the next score after Murphy was fouled in the square. Timmons stepped up and stuck the ball into the bottom corner of the Park-Ratheniska net. Josh O’Brien tapped over a free shortly after to send his side into an unassailable lead.

Park-Ratheniska ended the game with three unanswered points, but the game was dead and buried at that stage. Nolan, Hayden (free) and Simon Fingleton (free) all raised white flags, but they were merely consolation scores as their side now return to the Intermediate Championship, 12 months after winning that same championship.

Graiguecullen are only halfway there when it comes to confirming their SFC status when they face The Heath in another play-off in two weeks.

FINAL SCORE

Graiguecullen 2-11

Park-Ratheniska 0-9

SCORERS- Graiguecullen: Mark Timmons 1-2 (1-0 penalty, one two-pointer), Aidan Bradley 1-1, Dylan Murphy 0-3 (0-2 frees, 0-1 45), Josh O’Brien 0-2 (0-1 free), Danny O’Brien, Brian Byrne and Trevor Collins 0-1 each. Park-Ratheniska: Simon Fingleton 0-4 (0-2 frees), Conor Hayden (0-1 free) and Cian Nolan 0-2 each, Brian Fingleton 0-1 each.

GRAIGUECULLEN: Danny Maher; Eoin Aylesbury, Sean McGrath, Warith Oyeniyi; Danny McGrath, Mark Timmons, Aaron Dorgan; Trevor Collins, Jamie Sheehan; Danny O’Brien, Josh O’Brien, Daniel O’Reilly; Brian Byrne, Jack Byrne, Dylan Murphy. Subs: Aidan Bradley for J Byrne (36 mins, inj), James Horohan for D O’Brien (54 mins), Danny Aylesbury for Dorgan (56 mins), Chris Hurley for J O’Brien and Lee Nolan for O’Reilly (Both 59 mins).

PARK-RATHENISKA: Cathal Tierney; Brian Fingleton, Colm Brennan, Brendan Greene; James Newell, Richie Hitchcock, Jimmy Langton; Killian O’Connor, Matt Cunningham; Conor Hayden, Simon Fingleton, Aaron Fitzpatrick; Noah Fingleton, Cian Nolan, Tom Fingleton. Subs: Peter Conroy for O’Connor (41 mins), Ethan Kelly for T Fingleton (48 mins), Barry Connolly for N Fingleton (51 mins), Jack Dermody for Langton (56 mins), Ben Peachem for Fitzpatrick (58 mins).

Referee: Brendan McCann (Portarlington)