Six Talking Points as classy Clough-Ballacolla see off Borris-Kilcotton for ninth Laois SHC title

Clough-Ballacolla put in a brilliant performance to claim the 2020 Laois SHC title in O’Moore Park tonight.

Declan Laffan’s charges got on top in the second quarter to run out five point winners in the end.

Here, we take a more in depth look at how they won their ninth Laois SHC title.

1 – Man of the match – Robbie Phelan 

There are many contenders for this accolade but we’re going to agree with the Laois TV lads and give it to Robbie Phelan.

The wing forward started off with two bad wides but barely put a foot wrong after that. His three points were sublime while his goal was expertly taken too.

His work-rate was top class too and one wonders if the watching Laois hurling manager Cheddar Plunkett might give him a call in the coming weeks.

2 – Tremendous defending 

While Robbie Phelan and his fellow attackers will rightly take the headlines, the way Clough-Ballacolla defended laid the platform for the success.

Brian Corby seemed to be able to make himself a spare man whenever his side lost possession and he mopped up copious amounts of possession – as did Eoin Doyle behind him.

Lee Cleere hurled like a demon on Joe Campion while Diarmaid Conway held PJ Scully largely quiet from play with Darren Maher and Mick McEvoy using all their experience.

3 – Maher’s accuracy 

Stephen ‘Picky’ Maher played a captain’s role in O’Moore Park as he scored 13 points of Clough-Ballacolla’s total.

He was deadly accurate from frees and was involved in almost all of the positive attacking elements of his side’s play.

After spending most of the year at wing back for Laois, to go back into the full forward line and hurl that well shows exactly how good he is.

4 – Dunne’s stunning saves at important times 

Clough-Ballacolla manager Declan Laffan made a big call last year as he opted to go for youngster Cathal Dunne over veteran Danny Hanlon – and Dunne proved his worth tonight.

He pulled off two really important saves – in the first half from Aaron Dunphy and the second from Colm Stapleton.

Dunne’s puckouts were flawless and it seems he has nailed down that position for many years to come now.

5 – Silencing the critics (yours truly)

About 13 months ago, yours truly appeared on the LaoisToday Talking Sport Podcast where I fairly wrote off Clough-Ballacolla’s chances of claiming 2020 glory.

And some of the Ballacolla lads enjoyed telling me all about it following their victory tonight – and rightly so!

6 – What happens next?

Clough-Ballacolla will get to enjoy the Bob O’Keeffe Cup for about two weeks before their defence will begin.

For the 2021 championship, they are in a group alongside Rosenallis, Castletown and The Harps where they will try to defend the title for the first time since they won five in a row between 1914 and 1918.

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

The post Six Talking Points as classy Clough-Ballacolla see off Borris-Kilcotton for ninth Laois SHC title appeared first on Laois Today.

source https://www.laoistoday.ie/2021/08/14/six-talking-points-as-classy-clough-ballacolla-see-off-borris-kilcotton-for-ninth-laois-shc-title/