Emma Lawlor hits 1-11 as St Paul’s claim Division 2 league glory

St Paul’s 1-15 Clonaslee St Manman’s 1-12
Laois LGFA Division 2 Final

Emma Lawlor helped herself to 1-11 as St Paul’s got the better of Clonaslee-St Manman’s in a thrilling Laois ladies football Division 2 league final in Portarlington this afternoon.

It was a brilliant game where the sides were level on numerous with Clonaslee going ahead before the second water break – only for St Paul’s to take the lead with a minute remaining before Lawlor’s injury time goal eventually settled it.

The game was initially slow to take off as Emma Lawlor and Emily Corbet – who’d been named recently on the Ireland U-19 soccer squad – swapped early points before a great Jessie O’Toole point had St Paul’s 0-2 to 0-1 ahead at the first water break.

Lawlor put Paul’s two ahead on the resumption but two from Corbet had the sides level again in the 20th minute though a great save from Clonaslee’s Sarah Corbet had earlier denied Ciara Langford a goal.

Ciara and Roisin Poole pointed either side of Lawlor’s third point and at half time Clonaslee led 0-5 to 0-4 but would have to play the opening ten minutes of the second half with 14 players after Aoife Hyland was sent to the sin bin late in the half.

Lawlor levelled things up soon after the restart but Corbet hit back with two more and St Paul’s were again denied a goal after another brilliant Sarah Corbet save, this time on Sinead O’Rourke.

St Paul’s by now were down to 14 as Molly O’Toole was sin binned but the sides were level 0-8 apiece by the 45th minute as Sinead O’Rourke got in on the scoring act.

Kate Conroy nudged Clonaslee back in front but Ciara Crowley cancelled it out.

Lawlor put St Paul’s back into the lead but a brilliant run from Emily Corbet set up Pauline Keating for the game’s first goal and Clonaslee led 1-9 to 0-10 at the second water break.

Two in a row from Lawlor had it level by the 50th minute but Clonaslee went back ahead again after another long run and score from Corbet, this time palmed over the bar by Nadine Dempsey.

Rebecca Balfe tied things up again and then two more in a row from Lawlor had Paul’s two up as the game entered injury time.

A long range free from Corbet brought back to one point St Paul’s finally secured the win when Lawlor rounded the keeper to put four in it.

Shauna Mulhall crashed one off the bar and over in response for Clonaslee but it wasn’t enough and St Paul’s celebrated joyously at the final whistle and captain Ann Lawlor accepted the trophy amid great scenes of joy.

It was hard on Clonaslee who’d played their part in a fine game but they’ll take great heart from the performance ahead of the upcoming championship.

SCORERS – St Paul’s: Emma Lawlor 1-11, Jessie O’Toole, Sinead O’Rourke, Ciara Crowley and Rebecca Balfe 0-1 each; Clonaslee-St Manman’s: Emily Corbet 0-8 (five frees), Pauline Keating 1-0, Ciara Poole, Roisin Poole, Kate Conroy and Shauna Mulhall 0-1 each

ST PAUL’S: Nadine Dempsey; Meadbh Owens, Ann Lawlor, Alannah O’Toole; Aoife Langford, Niamh Crowley, Molly O’Toole; Rebecca Balfe, Jessie O’Toole; Holly Langford, Emma Lawlor, Ellen O’Neill; Ciara Langford, Ciara Crowley, Sinead O’Rourke. Sub: Molly McCormack for M O’Toole

CLONASLEE-ST MANMAN’S: Sarah Corbet; Sinead Purcell, Rebecca Malone, Mary Hyland; Shauna Mulhall, Aoife Hyland, Brigid Hyland; Roisin Poole, Roisin Donovan; Ciara Poole, Emily Corbet, Catherine Hyland; Kate Conroy, Pauline Keating, Heather Conroy. Subs: Izzy Malone for Donovan, Anne Hyland for Purcell

SEE ALSO – O’Moore Park to hold Laois GAA’s first in-person county board meeting in 18 months

The post Emma Lawlor hits 1-11 as St Paul’s claim Division 2 league glory appeared first on Laois Today.

source https://www.laoistoday.ie/2021/08/02/a-emma-lawlor-hits-1-11-as-st-pauls-claim-division-2-league-glory/