Laois Today: Laois U-14 ladies set for Leinster final clash with Offaly

It is a huge weekend for ladies football in Laois as the seniors will go for a place in the All-Ireland Intermediate final on Sunday.

But before all of that, the Laois U-14 ladies will contest the Leinster ‘B’ football championship final tomorrow.

Moate in Westmeath is the venue for a 12pm throw-in against neighbours Offaly.

Laois actually played Offaly in the first round of the championship and although they lost that game, they have played brilliantly since to reach the final.

They got back on track with a win over Carlow and followed that with victory in the semi final against Kilkenny.

Manager Cyril Mulligan says the girls are going into the game on an upward trajectory and are hoping for a good performance.

He said: “We had 160 girls come forward to play on this team but unfortunately we had to cut that down to 30 which was a very hard task.

“There was phenomenal interest and that is all stemming from the fact that we have had U-11 and U-12 development panels.

“We had only been together for less than two weeks when we played Offaly the first day and although we started well, there were a lot of nerves and we ended up losing in the end.

“But the girls have progressively improved since. We are now on an upward trajectory.

“The girls know each other very well now and have gelled really well together as a team. So we are very much looking forward to tomorrow’s final.”

Check out the full panel below plus some great pictures from previous matches which have been kindly sent to us by Louise Byrne.

LAOIS LADIES U-14 PANEL 2021

Julie-Ann Bennett (Sarsfields)
Lucy-Jane Burke (Sarsfields)
Emer Conroy (Sarsfields)
Laura Cronin (Sarsfields)
Aoibhe Foyle (Sarsfields)
Rachel Heffernan (Sarsfields)
Nicole Matthews (Sarsfields)
Niamh Peake (Sarsfields)
Ella Murphy (St Brigid’s)
Molly Brennan (St Brigid’s)
Katie O’Reilly (St Brigid’s)
Megan Phelan (St Brigid’s)
Ailbhe Carroll (Portlaoise)
Faye Brown (Portlaoise)
Abbey-Louise Byrne (Portlaoise)
Anna Mulligan (Portlaoise)
Orla Keating (Graiguecullen)
Kathlyn Timmons (Graiguecullen)
Lucy Donoghue (Shanahoe)
Grainne Keane (Shanahoe)
Rachel Bohan (Mountrath)
Ella Phelan (Mountrath)
Katie McGrath (Killeshin)
Aisling Cawley (Killeshin)
Sophie Cullinan (Ballyfin)
Grace Foxe (Ballyroan)
Clodagh Fingleton (Park-Ratheniska)
Ellie Keane (The Heath)
Niamh Dundon (Timahoe)
Reitlin Hooney (St Joseph’s)