Leinster club final awaits for Portlaoise ladies after win over Offaly champions

Portlaoise 3-5 Naomh Chiaran (Offaly) 2-5
Leinster Ladies SFC Semi-final

Just eight days after winning the Laois senior final for the first time, the Portlaoise ladies footballers are into the Leinster club final after a hard-earned win over Offaly champions Naomh Chiaran today in Rathleague.

The Offaly side got off to a dream start when Amy Gavin-Mangan got a goal early on but two points from Aisling Kehoe and one from Ellen Healy had Portlaoise level at 1-0 to 0-3 at the water break.

Portlaoise were on top in the second quarter and goals from Sarah Anne Fitzgerald and Leah Loughman had them 2-3 to 1-2 up at half time.

In horrendous conditions, Kate Kenny got an early point in the second half to bring the gap back to three but Portlaoise struck for a crucial goal when Alison Taylor got their third.

With a six-point cushion, Porelaoise were able to see it out from there and though Roisin Egan pulled back a goal late on for Naomh Chiaran, Portlaoise had enough in store to see it out.

They now go on to the Leinster club final next year where they will take on Dublin champions Foxrock-Cabinteely in the final.

And there will be a familiar face in the Foxrock side as they have former Portlaoise player Laura Nerney on board.

That game is provisionally down for next weekend but time and venue have to be confirmed.

SCORERS – Portlaoise: Sarah Anne Fitzgerald 1-1, Leah Loughman 1-0, Alison Taylor 1-0, Aisling Kehoe 0-2, Ellen Healy 0-1, Grainne Moran 0-1

PORTLAOISE: Aoife Hyland-Conlon; Rebecca Reddin, Sarah Fleming, Ciara Byrne; Amy Byrne, Aisling Saunders, Shauna Jackson; Fiona Dooley, Ellen Healy; Alison Taylor, Aisling Kehoe, Grainne Moran; Julia Cahill, Sarah Anne Fitzgerald, Leah Loughman. Subs: Kirsten Keenan for Loughman, Maeve Phelan for Moran, Claire Dunne for A Byrne, Anna Fitzgibbon for Dooley, Aoibhe O’Brien for Jackson

SEE ALSO – Champions out as Emo beat Portlaoise for first time in 48 years

The post Leinster club final awaits for Portlaoise ladies after win over Offaly champions appeared first on Laois Today.

source https://www.laoistoday.ie/2020/10/04/leinster-club-final-awaits-for-portlaoise-ladies-after-win-over-offaly-champions/