ACHL Division 2 Final – Ballinakill v Portlaoise
In Centre of Excellence at 6.30pm
Promotion and early season silverware are on the line as Portlaoise and Ballinakill meet in the Division 2 final this evening.
For the first time in a number of years, this final is being contested by two ‘first-teams’.
In previous times, Clough-Ballacolla and Rathdowney-Errill’s second teams have won this division and as they have teams in the top tier, they could not be promoted.
That created a buffer that saved the top eight teams from relegation but that has been broken and after today, Castletown will drop down with one of these promoted.
If you are looking at form – this should be a cakewalk for Portlaoise as they absolutely hammered Ballinakill when the sides met.
This was a Round 4 clash and Portlaoise won by 24 points – 5-23 to 0-14.
Ballinakill were heavily depleted six weeks ago on that evening and it is anticipated that this game will be closer.
In the league itself, Portlaoise won all six of the games that they played in – giving a walkover to Camross in the final round when already assured of top spot.
As well as Portlaoise, Ballinakill also lost to The Harps but won the other five games to finish second and reach the semi finals.
Ballinakill have Ballyfin man Killian Fitzpatrick as manager this year and they faced Rathdowney-Errill in the semi final on Monday last.
Brian Duggan was lethal on frees while Cathal O’Shaugnessy and Paul Simms, the latter of which has been playing outfield this season, also scored freely.
Ballinakill are operating without Cha Dwyer and Sean Downey who are abroad but in their absence, Podge Lawlor, Cian O’Shaughnessy and Andrew McDonagh, who was a Laois minor last year, have been impressive.
Portlaoise are managed by former Laois hurler Tommy Fitzgerald this year and he has turned their fortunes around to date.
They took on Camross in the semi final where Aaron Bergin led them to a three point win.
Ciaran McEvoy, Cian Taylor, Frank Flanagan and Eddie Critchley have also been prominent this year while like McDonagh, Brochan O’Reilly has stepped straight up from minor.
Portlaoise will be favourites for this and it is very likely that these will meet again later this year in the Premier Intermediate championship.
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