Clough-Ballycolla captain Aidan Corby, alongside teammates, from left, Stephen Maher, Kevin Mulhall, Darren Maher and Joseph Pearson, celebrate with the cup after victory in the Laois County Senior Club Hurling Championship final match between Clough-Ballycolla and Rathdowney-Errill at Laois Hire O'Moore Park in Portlaoise, Laois. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile.
Laois Shopping Centre Laois SHC Final
Clough-Ballacolla 2-22 Rathdowney-Errill 0-22
By Alan Hartnett at Laois Hire O'Moore Park
Clough-Ballacolla have claimed the Bob O'Keeffe Cup for the fourth time in the last five seasons following victory in O'Moore Park.
Willie Hyland's charges were six point winners over Rathdowney-Errill to claim their 12th title in all and their seventh since 2009.
Goals in either half ultimately proved the difference with Stephen Bergin kicking in one in the first half and Stephen Maher scoring one in the second.
Maher, as he has been for the best part of the last decade, was Clough-Ballacolla's main man.
He finished the match with a tally of 1-14, 1-11 of that coming in the second half.
This was Rathdowney-Errill's first final since they won it in 2019 and they played with the wind in the first half.
Tadhg Dowling and Paddy McCane landed seven points between them in that phase while Ross King was steady on frees.
It meant that even despite Bergin's goal, Rathdowney-Errill held a 0-15 to 1-8 lead at half time.
The tide began to turn early in the second half after Maher and Liam O’Connell traded scores to start proceedings.
Three frees in a row from Maher would see Clough-Ballacolla reduce the gap to a point on 37 minutes and he drove his side in front moments later after excellent work by Cillian Dunne created a chance for Maher to bury the ball low into the net for a goal to make it 1-3 in succession for the Clough-Ballacolla sharpshooter.
Ross King stemmed the flow with a pointed free in response, but Rathdowney-Errill’s fouling continued to cost them as Maher landed two frees in reply.
Brandon McGinley and Maher traded excellent scorers from play, but Clough-Ballacolla had all the momentum and their scores were coming that bit easier.
Frees from O’Connell and King kept Rathdowney-Errill in touch, but Clough-Ballacolla were rolling as Aidan Corby struck a fabulous score and Maher was on target again from three frees in a row.
Robbie Phelan added a great score on a counter attack to put six between them with four minutes of normal time left to play.
Rathdowney-Errill cut the deficit to four with points from Paddy Purcell and McCane, but Clough-Ballacolla continued to look the more impressive as the game wore on.
A third long range strike from Lee Cleere in injury time sealed the win for Clough-Ballacolla before Maher capped off a wonderful second half display with a score in the final seconds.
Scorers for Clough-Ballacolla: Stephen Maher 1-14 (0-10 frees), Stephen Bergin 1-1, Lee Cleere 0-3, Joe Corby, Aidan Corby, Mark Hennessy and Robbie Phelan 0-1 each.
Scorers for Rathdowney-Errill: Ross King 0-6 (frees), Tadgh Dowling and Paddy McCane 0-4 each, Paddy Purcell 0-3 (one free), Brandon McGinley and Liam O’Connell (frees) 0-2 each, Eric Killeen 0-1.
CLOUGH-BALLACOLLA: Cathal Dunne; Diarmaid Conway, Darren Maher, Cormac Hogan; Joe Corby, Lee Cleere, Jordan Walshe; Aidan Corby, Willie Dunphy; Mark Hennessy, Kevin Mulhall, Sean Corby; Robbie Phelan, Stpehen Maher, Stephen Bergin. Subs: Cillian Dunne for S Corby (ht), Padraigh Brennan for Mulhall (32 – 34, temporary), Padraigh Brennan for Hennessy (58), Joseph Pearson for Mulhall (62)
RATHDOWNEY-ERRILL: Damian Madden; Dylan Carroll, Joe Fitzpatrick, Shane Madden; John Purcell, James Ryan, Liam O’Connell; Paddy Purcell, Padraig Rafter; Scott Pearson, Eric Killeen, Tadgh Dowling; Ross King, Brandon McGinley, Paddy McCane. Subs: Thep Fitzpatrick for P Purcell (32 – 36, temporary), Thep Fitzpatrick for Rafter (47), Eoin Bourke for McGinley (51)
REFEREE: Padraig Dunne (Colt)
