Rathdowney-Errill 2-10 Camross 1-7
Laois Shopping Centre ACHL Division 5 Final
Rathdowney-Errill were victors in the ACHL Division 5 final this evening in O’Keeffe Park, Borris-in-Ossory thanks to a six-point victory over Camross.
The losers might feel aggrieved at the scoreline as they were certainly the more dominant side for portions of the game, but Rathdowney-Errill made the most of a good start and Camross’s failure to take all their chances proved costly.
Rathdowney-Errill were given the dream start when Ian Martin did excellently to keep a ball over his head in play and rise it to strike past Niall Cuddy in the Camross goals. Ray Kelly then followed with a point just moments later.
Their lead was extended to five with a score from half-back Jack Ryan. It took 12 minutes for Camross to get their first point, but it was a good one from Michael Doran.
Rathdowney-Errill were awarded a penalty three minutes later and Ray Kelly stepped up and nestled it in the bottom corner. That was almost immediately cancelled out when Camross were given a penalty from the resulting puck out.
Thomas Palmer took it and drove the ball straight down the middle past Jack Daly.
There were just three points scored in the final 15 minutes of the first half, one free for Camross from Palmer and two for Anthony Costigan and Rathdowney-Errill.
Camross came out fired up for the second half and Conor Doran struck one over straight away. He followed it up then with a ’65.
Rathdowney-Errill battled back with two points of their own, one each for Costigan and Martin, the latter a particularly impressive effort from the wing.
Conor Doran split the posts with a free before Costigan responded with two as we entered the final ten minutes of play.
Michael Buckley put over his first of the evening for Camross, and a well deserved one as he had an impressive game in midfield.
Martin scored his second from play to put his side into a six-point lead and that was enough to see Rathdowney-Errill over the finish line.
SCORERS – Rathdowney-Errill: Anthony Costigan 0-6 (all frees), Ian Martin 1-2, Ray Kelly 1-1 (1-0 penalty), Jack Ryan 0-1; Camross: Conor Doran 0-4 (one ’65, one free), Thomas Palmer 1-1 (1-0 penalty, 0-1 free), Michael Doran, Michael Buckley 0-1 each
RATHDOWNEY-ERRILL: Jack Daly; Michael Purcell, Paul Hayes, Emmet Gilmartin; Jack Ryan, Brian Delaney, Enda Meehan; Ray Kelly, Matt Meehan; Alan Doyle, Anthony Costigan, Ian Martin; Damien Madden, Shaun Meehan, Christopher Browne
CAMROSS: Niall Cuddy; Jack Moore, Pakie Cuddy, Aidan Hynes; Joe Sullivan, Larry Cuddy, Michael Sullivan; Michael Doran, Michael Buckley; Conor Doran, Peter Guilfoyle, Cillian Tiernan; Thomas Palmer, Darragh Moore, Gerard Guilfoyle. Subs: Garry Cuddy for D Moore (35 mins), Shane Scully for Michael Doran (45 mins)
REFEREE: George Boyhan (Clough-Ballacolla)
