Laois Shopping Centre: PIHC & SHC Quarter Finals Recap and Semi Finals Confirmed

Laois Shopping Centre: PIHC & SHC Quarter Finals Recap and Semi Finals Confirmed.

Photo credit: Paul Dargan

Written by Laois PR Team

Following this weekends Laois Shopping Centre: PIHC Quarter Final results:

The 2 teams (from the 2024 Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship) that have gained promotion to the 2025 Senior Hurling Championship are:

1. Ballinakill
2. Borris in Ossory-Killcotton

Confirmed: 2024 Laois Shopping Centre: SHC, PIHC & IHC Semi Finals. Plus the JHC Final.

Laois Shopping Centre: SHC Semi Finals:

Rathdowney-Errill v Abbeyleix St.Lazarians

Clough-Ballacolla v Camross

Laois Shopping Centre: PIHC Semi Finals:

Rathdowney-Errill v Ballinakill

Borris in Ossory-Killcotton v Camross

Laois Shopping Centre: IHC Semi Finals:

Abbeyleix St.Lazarians v St.Fintans Mountrath

Slieve Bloom v Mountmellick

Laois Shopping Centre JHC ‘A’ Final

Ballypickas v Borris in Ossory-Killcotton

Laois Shopping Centre: JHC ‘C’ Champions:

Rathdowney-Errill defeated The Harps on a scoreline of 2-18 to 2-14, to win the 2024 Laois Shopping Centre: Junior C Hurling Championship.

Laois Shopping Centre: Premier Intermediate and Senior Hurling Championship: Quarter Finals Recap

PIHC Quarter Finals:

Ballyfin v Camross on Saturday September 7^th

Ballyfin: 0-16 (16)

Camross: 1-15 (18)

Standout Players:

Ballyfin:

Centre back, James Finn was excellent defensively throughout. Finn both won 2 puckouts in a row, sent long accurate passes into the forward line, plus going forward himself, he won a free in for Eamon Duff (Total 9 frees) to convert and when he tracked back, made a super tackle on Ben Deegan to prevent a scoring opportunity. Also very effective in defence was corner back Sean O’Neill (no.2) with: a tackle to prevent a Kevin Byrne attack, won a free out as he turned over possession, blocked a Kevin Byrne shot for a point and collected lots of loose ball from Camross attacks. David Connolly & Allan Connolly both caught the eye in attack & midfield. David (0-3) got 2 wonder scores from play, from midfield and the 65m line, he man marked opposition very well, made tackles and created turnovers. Allan made a great impact also with winning ball in midfield, got 2 brilliant scores in a row, before winning a free for Duff to convert, all this play within a few minutes.

Camross:

Corner back Craig Delaney was very solid defensively and made it difficult for the Ballyfin forwards to break through on goal.  Jack Phelan was superb in midfield: with strong tackles and turnovers, Phelan directly set up Daniel Delaney with a point from play, then with great pace running into the box, Phelan had to be fouled to prevent danger and won a free for Ben Deegan (0-8, 7 frees) to convert. Phelan also then sent high balls into Kevin Byrne (0-2) for scores. 1 of these Byrne points was the standout of the game: a lovely point from play whilst Byrne was being marked by defenders, out wide near the sideline and his shot curled wonderfully over the bar. Most vital moments of the game: goalie Cillian Tiernan made a point blank range save as he came out to block Ciaran Culletons shot to deny a goal, combined with monsters scores from distance in midfield from Andrew Collier (0-3) and Rick Bannon’s goal, won the game for Camross by 2 points.

Ballinakill v Clonaslee St.Manman’s; on Saturday September 7^th

After Extra Time

Ballinakill: 1-26 (29)

Clonaslee St.Manman’s: 3-19 (28)

Standout Players:

Ballinakill:

Paul Simms (Total 1-15, 12 frees) was outstanding in attack: with complete accuracy from both dead balls and some super scores (1-3) from play. With very little between the sides: it was Simm’s accuracy that ultimately won the game in the 2^nd half of Extra Time. Simms opened his scoring: with a monster sideline cut, scored from the sideline in midfield. Then scored a free from the same angle. Simms was particularly excellent at taking on men and getting past them to score points from play, after getting in behind them and giving himself space with pace. His goal plus 3 points in a row were scored this way. In defence, both corner backs Noel Duggan and Andrew McDonagh had a great game. Duggan made a brilliant block to deny a Cian Callaghan shot and later, made another block to deny an attempt from Willy Young. Andrew McDonagh worked very hard to chase down and also block a shot from Callaghan who was dangerous in attack, McDonagh tackled and turned over possession from Paddy Hyland and with a great pass, directly set up Paul Simms with a well worked point from play. Brian Duggan (0-2) won an incredible amount of ball throughout.

Clonaslee St Manmans:

The combination of Tom Smith and Cian Callaghan in attack, was a joy to watch. Cian Callaghan (1-2) had electric pace from the outset and throughout, with 2 brilliant points from play in the first 15 mins, both scored excellently under pressure as 2 defenders ran at him and he also won free for Tom Smith to convert. Cian Callaghan, scored his goal after a beautiful long ball sent in from Tom Smith, who hit it from long range in midfield, in on top of the box that found Callaghan to finish. Tom Smith (1-7, penalty goal and frees) was fantastic and reliable from dead balls, with super striking of the ball. 1 of his frees was from massive long distance, just outside midfield. Cian Conroy (0-3) was excellent at beating opposition on the run. He was most outstanding in extra time, bringing intensity and energy. In the 1^st period of ET alone. Conroy won ball, had incredible pace going forward, accurate striking for passes and scored 2  lovely points from play himself. In the back line, Diarmuid Conway at left half back was very strong defensively, with impressive man marking, tackles and scooping up ball that came into him. He won a free out, cleared ball and stopped a goal chance from Eddie Dwyer.

SHC Quarter Finals

Abbeyleix v Portlaoise: on Sunday September 8^th

Abbeyleix: 2-18 (24)

Portlaoise: 2-9 (15)

Standout Players:

Abbeyleix:

Centre back, Lawson Obular was immense. His presence of physical strength, pressure of man marking which won frees from overcarrying, his movement off the ball, combined with his tackles, interceptions and pace to win frees: protected danger on multiple occasions from the Abbeyleix full back line and contributed greatly to Abbeyleix’s great win combined with Eoghan Fennelly, Cormac Byrne and Sam Quinn in attack. Cormac Byrne’s lightning pace won 3 frees in, in the 1st half alone, one of which Byrne converted himself and resulted in him scoring a goal from play to give his side a double score lead at half time, important as Abbeyleix carried this momentum into the 2^nd half also, to win. Sam Quinn was very lively and impressive throughout with his strong running on the ball ability. He contributed to scores with his massive long runs out wide, and with a run from inside his own half into attack, as a result of collecting a short Rowland puckout, Quinn scored a point from play this way, whilst out wide. Eoghan Fennelly (0-7, 5 frees) known for his dead ball accuracy, was also excellent as he contributed from play. Fennelly’s sideline cut to Sam Quinn directly set up a saved goal chance and he scored 2 lovely points from play.

Portlaoise:

Cian Taylor (0-2) and James Conroy (1-0) were dangerous in attack from the outset, they combined with pace and hand passing to: create 3 big goal chances early on. Cian Taylor was brought down as he was bearing down on goal, fouled just outside of the box to win a free in, for Aaron Bergin to convert. Next, Cian Taylor struck the upright of the crossbar. Then they finally got their goal as James Conroy found the net with a smashing top corner effort, after a bursting run from out wide to beat opposition on his way in. Cian Taylor scored 2 wonderful points from play, 1 whilst under defensive pressure and the 2^nd from a difficult angle, out wide. Taylor directly set up a Cormac Rigney point from play and James Conroy was good at winning high ball and he won the penalty for Aaron Bergin to score. Corner back Emmet Maloney done well defensively. He intercepted a dangerous ball from Cormac Byrne in the 1^st half and in the 2^nd half, made a strong tackle on Byrne and twice got out in front for 2 more interceptions.

Camross vs The Harps: on Saturday September 8^th

Camross: 2-18 (24)

The Harps: 1-16 (19)

Standout Players

Camross:

It was thanks to the incredibly quick and attacking start to Camross’ game that ultimately earned their win and seperated them from The Harps. 2 quick goals from play from both Darren Drennan (1-1) and Tomas Keyes. (1-8, 6 frees). Gearoid Burke’s (0-3) pace set up Drennan’s goal and Tomas Keyes goal was a brilliant watch: he found the net with a fantastic strike, after a massive run from midfield into the box. A point from Tomas Keyes in the 2^nd half was notable as he burst down the right sideline and finished with style. Eoghan Gaughan (0-1) had a wonderful strike of the ball and hit strikes from well from inside his own half to set up forwards, scoring a 65 from one of these. Eoin Dowling at half back, was superb defensively as on multiple occasions, prevented chances from the full forward line of The Harps and tackled to stop a late Ciaran Comerford goal chance.

The Harps:

Eoghan Murphy was brilliant at left half back, winning 2 interceptions and 2 puckouts, in the 1^st half alone. He also scored an excellent point from play. He sent some lovely ball into the excellent midfielder Eoghan Doheny, (0-1) who was a tower of strength in midfield, winning ball and frees, set up James Duggan (0-2) and Ciaran Comerford (0-7 frees) scores, whilst also beating markers and making blocks. At half back, Ciaran Flynn was super solid and made vital turnovers to prevent Zane Keenan attacks, whilst he scored 2 lovely points from play. Centre back Podge Delaney (1-1 frees) had a brilliant scoring contribution rate but his defensive work was immense. He made great tackles to stop Gearoid Burke, Tomas Keyes and Darren Drennan, alongside creating many clearances with long accurate puck into his forwards that resulted in attacks and scores for The Harps, which began from Podge Delaney’s strong tackles and good defensive set up.