Portlaoise 1-8
St Josephs/Barrowhouse 0-7
A LIAM McGovern penalty midway through the first half set Portlaoise on their way to this year’s under-21 final amid terrible conditions in Ratheniska on Saturday.
It took five minutes for the first score to materialise, McGovern pointing from close range. Michael Keogh hit back for Joseph’s against the wind, but their attack was struggling and they would fail to score for the remainder of the half.
After impressing in the previous rounds, the absence of Adam Campion and Joey Devoy forced the amalgamated side into a reshuffle, while the dangerous looking two-man full forward line of Keogh and Matty Campion were negated by Portlaoise playing first Darragh McCauley and then Dean Lynch as sweeper.
Dean Cullen gave the Town a lead they would never lose in the 13th minute, a great long-range effort followed soon after by a point from Ciaran McEvoy. Portlaoise were threatening their opponent’s goals regularly at this stage, two gilt-edged opportunities going abegging before they finally found the net.
McGovern’s fisted attempt at goal was saved by Aaron Cooney, but the full-forward was fouled in the square as he tried to recover. Dusting himself off, the Portlaoise number 14 stood up to send the keeper the wrong way: 1-3 to 0-1.
McEvoy could have had the second goal of the game minutes later but his shot was well saved, Portlaoise keeper Graham Brody converting the resultant ’45.
That was the end of the scoring for the half, but the excitement wasn’t over yet as midfielder Darragh Duggan received a straight red card after 23 minutes, giving Joseph’s a glimmer of hope.
The Saints were a completely different animal in the second half, pointing straight from the restart after a great move involving Cian Maher, Willie McDonald, Jason and Matthew Campion was finished by Danny Hickey.
Cullen responded from a placed ball but Joseph’s were in the ascendancy, Matty Campion pointing on the turn before a monster free from the middle of the field by Jason Campion cut the deficit to four.
Matty Campion and Dean Cullen traded points yet again, before Donnacha O’Reilly floated a score over for Portlaoise. Matty Campion again responded however and when Keogh slotted over his second only a goal separated the sides.
The Portlaoise rearguard stood tall though and when Martin Staunton pointed in the 56th minute the writing was on the wall, the trailing side never looking like scoring the vital goal and running out four point losers.
PORTLAOISE: Graham Brody (0-1, 45); Darragh McCauley, Phillip O’Connell, Dean Lynch; David Seale, Eoin Feane, Donal Fitzgibbon; James Nerney, Darragh Duggan; Donnacha O’Reilly (0-1), Dean Cullen (0-3, 2f), Ciaran McEvoy (0-1); Martin Staunton (0-1), Liam McGovern (1-1, 1-0 pen), Conor Dunphy. Subs: John Hearns for Dunphy (47m).
ST JOSEPH’S/BARROWHOUSE: Aaron Cooney; Aidan Brennan, Dan Dunne, Cian Maher; Willie McDonald, James Brennan, Gary Lacey; Jason Campion (0-1f), Luke Malone; Denis Brophy, Donal Ramsbottom, Padraig Condron; Matthew Campion (0-3, 1f), Michael Keogh (0-2), Danny Hickey (0-1). Subs: Mark George for J. Brennan (18m), James Brennan for Brophy (ht), Thomas Kirwan for Malone (56m).
