Hail the glorious Longford Slashers ladies five-in-a-row senior county champions

Longford Slashers . . . 0-11   Clonguish . . . 0-7

And when you add on the Junior and Intermediate championship triumphs prior to lifting the Alison Smyth Cup for the first time in 2019, it is a really remarkable achievement for Slashers who reached a tremendous high last year when they also won the Leinster and All-Ireland Intermediate club titles.

There was little separating the sides throughout the tight 2023 county final but inspired by the player of the match award winner Orla Nevin, Slashers called on all their vast experience to overcome a talented young Clonguish side.

The challengers were leading by a point (0-7 to 0-6) when Hannah Burke fired over a free midway through the second half despite the sin-bin yellow card for Megan Glennon in the 37th minute but Clonguish failed to register another score during the remainder of the match in facing the fierce resistance of the resolute opposing defence. 

Slashers went back in front with a point apiece from captain Aisling Cosgrove and Kate Shannon (free) before Clonguish were unlucky not to get back on level terms when a Hannah Burke free hit the upright in the 51st minute.  

The sky-blues produced a strong finish to secure yet another success with Kate Shannon firing over her fourth point and a couple of more scores followed from Jessica Barry, the first of which was a brilliant strike from play.

Jessica and Kate clocked up a total of ten points (7 frees) between them as Slashers got over the line and can now look forward to a clash away against Portlaoise in the opening round of the Leinster Club Senior Championship on Sunday October 22nd. 

Gallant Clonguish were left to rue the kicking of 10 wides, as compared to 5 for Slashers, in suffering the disappointment of losing the county final for the second year in succession.

LONGFORD SLASHERS: Emer Casey; Laura Kenny, Emily Reilly, Grace Kenny; Orla Nevin, Eimear O’Brien, Niamh Sheridan; Aoife O’Brien, Aisling Cosgrove (0-1); Clare Farrell, Grace Shannon, Grace O’Donnell; Kate Shannon (0-4, 2 frees), Jessia Barry (0-6, 5 frees), Kara Shannon.

Subs:- Gemma Reilly for L Kenny (36 mins); Rachel Penrose for G O’Donnell (42 mins).

CLONGUISH: Aoife Cooney; Catriona Moore, Maria Kelleher, Shauna Burke (0-1); Ella Duggan, Hannah Glennon, Mairead Moore; Ali Magan, Katelyn McKeon; Megan Glennon, Niamh Darcy, Ciara McKeon; Ciara Healy (0-1), Hannah Burke (0-5, 2 frees), Aoife Darcy.

Subs:- Ciara Sutton for C McKeon (39 mins); Teni Alaba for M Glennon (47 mins); Kamille Burke for A Darcy (50 mins); Ailbhe McGowan for S Burke (60 mins). 

Referee: Gerard Egan.