There were wins for The Harps and Castletown this afternoon in the opening round games of the Laois U-20 ‘A’ hurling championship.
The straight knockout competition, which wasn’t played last year because of Covid, saw The Harps prove too strong for Camross with a comprehensive 2-19 to 0-10 win in Camross.
The Harps were very impressive and after leading 1-12 to 0-4 at the break never looked in any danger.
With a side that was beaten in the corresponding 2018 minor final, and were minor champions in 2019, they now go forward to play Castletown in the semi-final next weekend.
Castletown were too strong for Clough-Ballacolla, winning 2-23 to 2-9 in Castletown.
The remaining quarter-final game will see Borris-Kilcotton play Abbeyleix with Rathdowney-Errill awaiting the winners in the semi-final.
THE HARPS: Lorcan Fitzpatrick; Stephen Murphy, Ben Dunphy, Jack Murphy; Ciaran Shortall, Tiernach Doheny, Rian Edwards; Aaron Grady, Cody Comerford; Mark Holland, Cathal Murphy, Michael Monaghan; Conor Delaney, James Duggan, Darragh Kelly. Subs: Dillon Foyle for Holland, Patrick Daly for Duggan, Billy McEvoy for C Murphy, Rory Dunne for S Murphy
CAMROSS: Matthew Bergin; Scott Coyle, Cathal Cuddy, Dean Dowling; Fionn Dowling, Daniel Moore, Jack Phelan; Dan Delaney, Trevor Abbot; Tomas Keyes, Greg Cuddy, James Cuddy; Finn Lalor, Niall Bennett, Ryan Cuddy. Subs: Scott Cuddy for C Cuddy, Darragh Breen for Abbott
CASTLETOWN: Jack McKelvey; Oisin Phelan, Killian Cuddy, Conor Breen; Alan Sythes, Aaron Phelan, Matthew Peters; Ciaran McKelvey, Sean O’Connor; Conor Doran, Tadhg Cuddy, Jamie Conroy; Enda Breen, Conor Walsh, Jamie Gill.
CLOUGH-BALLACOLLA: Adam Gorman; Aaron Boyhan, Emmet Saunders, Paddy Meade; Lochlainn Conway, Podge Brennan, Darragh Hogan; Cian Coffey, Evan Hawkes; Kevin Mulhall, Colin Doheny, Joe Corby; Cillian Dunne, Mark Hennessy, Bill Byran
Semi-final line up
- Castletown v The Harps
- Rathdowney-Errill v Abbeyleix or Borris-Kilcotton
SEE ALSO – St Joseph’s prove too strong for Park-Ratheniska/Spink in U-20 football championship