LAOIS CAMOGIE: On Saturday the Laois Minor Camogie Team, under trainer Durrow local Johnny Campion and selectors Helen Collier and Mary Conroy, travelled to Trim to play Down in the All Ireland Semi Final in what proved to be the classic game of two halves. Down dominated the first half and Laois were not helped when there hard working wing back Rebecca Treacy was badly hurt after a clash with Downs wing forward and had to be replaced by Maria Fitzpatrick after ten minutes. Under intense pressure, the Laois girls struggled to score in the first half with all of their three points coming from Laura Marie Maher and Laois were trailing by fourteen points at the break.
The Laois team regrouped at half time and after a number of tactical switches the tide began too change in the favour of Laois when full forward Emma Phelan led the bravest comeback in recent memory as she buried the sloitar in the back of the Down net. This was followed by another cracking goal, this time from Kelly O’Neill and it looked like Laois were beginning to believe in themselves again. Laura Marie Maher, Lorna Campion and Lizzy Ryan all scored lovely individual points before the ever dependable Laois Captain Yvonne O’Neill narrowed the gap between the teams to just four points with seven minutes remaining. Up to that point, Down had only scored two points in the second half and with Laois dominating the second half, it looked like it could go down to the wire. However Laois failed to push on from there and Down scored the last two points of the game before the final whistle. The final score: Down 2-15 to Laois 3-06. This Laois minor team will be taking a break and will be getting back together later in the year to prepare for the Leinster Championship.
LIONS AFC: U12 Nicholas Marnell Cup Semi Final: Lions AFC 4 v 1 Freebooters. April 28th 2012: What a game. Lions were one up at half time then freebooters equalised in the second half. After 20 minutes of extra time the sides were still level. It ended in penalties with the Lions winning 4-1.
Thomastown won their semi against East End so it’s Lions v Thomastown in the final. No date fixed yet. We will keep everyone posted. The semi final match was well supported compared to other matches and the atmosphere was incredible.