Clough/Ballacolla 0-20 Camross 1-14
Stephen 'Picky' Maher bagged 0-11 as Clough/Ballacolla came from behind to take their eighth Laois SHC title, with a 0-20 to 1-14 win over Camross at O’Moore Park, Portlaoise.
Camross never trailed in the opening half, with Zane Keenan hugely impressive, but Ballacolla, aided by the brilliance of Maher, dug deep to claim the honours.
Keenan was superb as Camross started brightly, with Dwayne Palmer getting the final touch to a 21st-minute goal on the way to a 1-09 to 0-06 interval lead.
Camross maintained their six-point lead early on the restart, but were held scoreless as Clough/Ballacolla fired seven unanswered points, including an equaliser from defender Mick McEvoy.
The sides were tied four times in the closing 12 minutes, but Clough/Ballacolla dug deep with the final four scores, including points from Maher and Willie Hyland, on the way to a three-point win.
Heading the roll of honour, Camross were seeking a 25th Laois Senior Hurling title, and their third in three years.
Clough/Ballacolla had won a five-in-a-row as Ballygeehan in the early part of the last century, but broke the deadlock in 2009, and were aiming for their first silverware since 2011.
Camross settled quickest and placed Clough/Ballacolla under huge pressure in the opening minutes.
The men in black and amber were 0-04 to 0-01 ahead after nine minutes, with Keenan claiming all of their early scores.
A Maher point kept Clough/Ballacolla in touch, with Camross unlucky not to be further ahead, but for the brilliance of Danny Hanlon between the posts for Clough/Ballacolla.
The Ballacolla keeper pulled off some fine saves throughout, but they relied hugely on the accuracy of Maher at the opposite end, scoring all of their six points in the opening half.
The Camross attack caused huge problems for Ballacolla’s defence, and eventually broke through, nine minutes before half-time, to open up a 1-07 to 0-03 lead.
Keenan sent a long-range free in low towards the goalmouth, with the ball coming off the stick of Palmer and finishing to the net.
Despite having momentum Camross were held to just two more points in the opening half, with Maher continuing to work hard, sending over scores from frees for Ballacolla.
Double scores separated the sides at the break on a 1-09 to 0-06 score-line, with Camross continuing to look good early on the restart.
Two Dean Delaney points cancelled out efforts from Hyland and Maher, but Clough/Ballacolla were beginning to look dangerous.
An Aidan Corby point ensured a 1-11 to 0-09 score-line, and with Darren Maher performing well at full-back, and Robbie Phelan also effective, Clough/Ballacolla were tightening up.
Thanks to good work also from Hyland and McEvoy, the sides were tied at 0-14 to 1-11 with 12 minutes remaining.
Keenan edged Camross ahead, before a Hyland equaliser.
Although Camross regained the lead, Clough/Ballacolla hit a purple patch from there until the end, with Hyland, Stephen and Darren Maher impressive late on, as Clough/Ballacolla captured Laois silverware.
Clough/Ballacolla: D Hanlon; C Coonan, D Maher, E Doyle; JA Delaney, M McEvoy (0-01), L Cleere; R Broderick, T Delaney; S Maher (0-11, 0-09f, 0-01 65), S Hanlon, W Hyland (0-04); A Corby (0-01), W Dunphy (0-01), R Phelan (0-01).
Subs: S Bergin (0-01) for Corby (50); D Bergin for S Hanlon (55);
Camross: T Doran; M Phelan, M Maloney, J Phelan; D Palmer (1-00), G Burke, D Keenan; D Dooley, C Delaney; A Mortimer, T Burke, C Collier; D Delaney (0-02), A Collier (0-02), Z Keenan 0-09 (0-03f, 0-02 65).
Subs: N Holmes for Palmer (30); M Burke for Phelan (33); D Gilmartin (0-01) for A Mortimer (52); A Moore for C Delaney (53).
Referee: Brochan O’Reilly (Portlaoise)
Some feeling💙💛County Champs🏆#CBAbú pic.twitter.com/DAW62Xsaz9
— Picky Maher (@PickyMaher) September 27, 2015
