Home Sport GAA A thronged village, champaigne reception and a lovely moment among the standout...

A thronged village, champaigne reception and a lovely moment among the standout memories from Clough-Ballacolla’s 2009 county final celebrations

Left - Michael McEvoy lifts the Bob O'Keeffe Cup after Clough-Ballacolla's breakthrough Laois SHC win in 2009; right - retired Ballacolla NS principal Jim Kells (centre) with club members Liam Dunne and Declan Byrne at the celebrations after the game

When a team wins a county final for the first time, it leads to memories that will last a lifetime. In Clough-Ballacolla’s case in 2009, it was the first Laois senior hurling success for the area since Ballygeehan over 90 years earlier and the breakthrough was special occasion for the hurling-mad parish. On the recent…