Maher and Phelan lead the way Clough-Ballacolla topple Borris-Kilcotton and claim 2020 SHC glory

Borris-Kilcotton 1-17 Clough-Ballacolla 1-22
2020 Senior Hurling Championship Final

Clough-Ballacolla have their first Laois SHC title since 2015 as the excellence of Stephen Maher and Robbie Phelan fired them to glory in O’Moore Park tonight.

Maher scored 13 points while Phelan ended with 1-3 as Clough-Ballacolla ran out five point winners.

There were brilliant performances all over the field for the victors with Lee Cleere, Brian Corby and Jordan Walshe also shining.

In really wet conditions, the opening quarter of the game was cagey.

PJ Scully and Aaron Dunphy gave Borris-Kilcotton the lead on four occasions but Clough-Ballacolla replied each time through the excellent Stephen Maher.

The only real goal chance in the opening quarter came in the 13th minute when Willie Dunphy wriggled away from Enda Parlon but his shot from a tight angle was saved by Eoin Fleming.

Referee Padraig Dunne spotted a foul on Dunphy before he shot however and gave a free which Stephen Maher converted. He then scored from play to leave Clough-Ballacolla 0-5 to 0-4 ahead at the water break.

PJ Scully levelled us up on the restart and although Robbie Phelan quickly replied, an exquisite sideline from PJ Scully tied the game once more.

Maher edged them ahead and then Robbie Phelan scored a brilliant goal after 22 minutes. This was all about the industry who, hurl-less, somehow managed to force the ball to Phelan with his foot and he raced clear to score.

Scully and Matthew Whelan responded for Borris-Kilcotton before only the heroics of Ballacolla keeper Cathal Dunne kept Aaron Dunphy out as he pulled off a great save from close range.

Jordan Walshe and Stephen Maher restored Clough-Ballacolla’s four point lead as we headed for first half injury injury time.

But Borris ended the half well with scores from Aaron Dunphy and PJ Scully to leave it 1-9 to 0-10 in Ballacolla’s favour at the interval.

Clough-Ballacolla started the second half like a train as Stephen Maher and Robbie Phelan pointed – while they could have had two more but Willie Dunphy was unusually wayward.

PJ Scully got Borris-Kilcotton underway in the second half with his seventh point but that was quickly cancelled out after by a brace from Maher which took his tally to seven after 37 minutes.

Aaron Dunphy and Willie Dunphy traded efforts but Niall Coss and another sideline from Scully made it 1-14 to 0-14 with 40 minutes on the clock.

But Ballacolla steadied again as great scores from Maher and Willie Dunphy sent them into the second water break leading 1-17 to 0-14.

Borris-Kilcotton introduced Stephen Dunphy at this stage and he instantly set up a goal chance for Colm Stapleton which was brilliantly saved by Cathal Dunne.

And to compound matters, Clough-Ballacolla went straight down the other end where Willie Dunphy scored from the tightest angle to lift the roof off the stand.

PJ Scully responded with a free but Jordan Walshe’s second point left the score 1-19 to 0-15 as we entered the final ten minutes.

Maher and Scully swapped frees and then Stephen Bergin scored before Neil Foyle was awarded a penalty for Borris-Kilcotton after referee Dunne spotted a foul.

PJ Scully’s 57th minute penalty found the top corner of the net and the gap was back to four points.

But Ballacolla didn’t panic. They kept their composure and a late Maher point confirmed their status as 2020 champions.

SCORERS – Borris-Kilcotton: PJ Scully 1-10 (1-0 pen, two sidelines, seven frees), Aaron Dunphy 0-4, Joe Campion 0-1, Matthew Whelan 0-1, Niall Coss 0-1 Clough-Ballacolla: Stephen Maher 0-13 (eight frees, one 65), Robbie Phelan 1-3, Willie Dunphy 0-3, Jordan Walshe 0-2, Stephen Bergin 0-1

BORRIS-KILCOTTON: Eoin Fleming; Stephen Finan, Enda Parlon, James Fitzpatrick; Paddy Whelan, Matthew Whelan, Niall Coss; Conor Kilbane, Dean Carey; Aaron Dunphy, Joe Campion, Colm Stapleton; Daire Quinlan, Neil Foyle, PJ Scully. Subs: Emmet Jones for Quinlan (ht), Dan Fitzpatrick for Kilbane (36), Stephen Dunphy for Carey (45)

CLOUGH-BALLACOLLA: Cathail Dunne; Diarmaid Conway, Darren Maher, Eoin Doyle; Brian Corby, Michael McEvoy, Lee Cleere; Willie Hyland, Aidan Corby; Robbie Phelan, Jordan Walshe, Mark Hennessy; Stephen Bergin, Willie Dunphy, Stephen Bergin. Subs: John Dwyer for Hennessy (45), Canice Coonan for Bergin (55), Sean Corby for Cleere (60, inj), Kevin Mulhall for Walshe (63, inj)

Referee: Padraig Dunne (Colt)

The post Maher and Phelan lead the way Clough-Ballacolla topple Borris-Kilcotton and claim 2020 SHC glory appeared first on Laois Today.

source https://www.laoistoday.ie/2021/08/14/maher-and-phelan-lead-the-way-clough-ballacolla-topple-borris-kilcotton-and-claim-2020-shc-glory/