Laois 1-5 Offaly 3-12
Leinster U-16 ‘C’ Ladies Football Championship Semi Final
The Laois Ladies U-16 footballers were beaten in their Leinster ‘C’ final by Offaly in Kinnegad yesterday.
With several girls unavailable due to a school trip, including captain Rebecca Cahill, Laois went into the game weakened.
However, those that were there put in a serious performance and the final score does not reflect their efforts.
Indeed, there was little between the teams in the opening half with a fast start to the second being the difference in the end.
Laura Carroll smashed in a goal for Laois in the first half while she, Niamh Dundon and Ashlee Smith also pointed.
Offaly had an excellent centre forward in Ella Cuskelly and she kicked four points in the first half.
A goal for Kayla Fleming ensured that Offaly took a slender advantage into the interval – 1-4 to 1-3.
But Offaly came flying out of the traps when play restarted and scored 1-3 without reply.
Ashlee Smith and Lucie O’Reilly replied for Laois but the game got away for them as Offaly were crowned champions.
SCORERS – Laois: Laura Carroll 1-1, Ashlee Smith 0-2, Niamh Dundon and Lucie O’Reilly (free) 0-1 each Offaly: Ella Cuskelly 1-6 (0-4 frees), Kayla Fleming 2-0, Lucy Flynn 0-4, Michelle Dunne and Grace Foran 0-1 each
LAOIS: Doireann Brennan (Portlaoise); Ellen Bergin (Portlaoise), Emma Malone (Killeshin), Orla Carroll (Ballyfin); Leah Farrell (Sarsfields), Katie O’Reilly (St Brigid’s), Katie Lyons (Mountrath); Lucie O’Reilly (St Brigid’s), Kaylagh O’Mara (Ballyroan); Laura Carroll (St Conleth’s), Ashlee Smith (Graiguecullen), Freya Jones (Crettyard); Lara Culleton (Portlaoise), Niamh Dundon (Timahoe), Leah Brennan (Portlaoise). Subs Lauren Mulhall (Ballyroan) for L Brennan, Aoibheann O’Rourke (Ballyfin) for Jones, Caoimhe Drennan (Mountrath) for Farrell, Emma Delaney (Sarsfields) for Lyons, Jayne Hyland (Sarsfields) for O’Mara
OFFALY: Rachel Donagher; Grace Malone, Sasha Coleman, Fia Grennan; Meabh Coll, Laura Condron, Isabel Claffey; Eabha Mai Tierney, Eva Rose Kelly; Michelle Dunne, Lucy Flynn, Kayla Fleming; Ava Dunne, Ella Cuskelly, Georgia O’Brien Subs: Grace Foran
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