By Denis J. Croke
PORTLAOISE 25 EDENDERRY 15
Portlaoise put their poor league form behind them on Sunday to put in a determined display to secure a place in the second round of the Provincial Towns Cup.
In a bitterly cold Togher, the home side were always in control against an Edenderry side that is playing two divisions below them.
Unfortunately, maybe due to Portlaoise’s dominance, the game lacked the bite normally associated with Towns Cup encounters. From the outset there was a sense of the inevitable and despite Offaly club never giving up there was only going to be one winner.
Portlaoise were in control in all sectors with their pack playing particularly impressively. Ger McEvoy was particularly notable with his display. Whether defending or going forward the number eight had a great game.
But he was just one of a back row that stamped its authority on this tie. The recent acquisition of Eoin Culliton has to be welcomed while Joe Fleming again caught the eye with his lineout jumping. Another to shine in this area was second row Graham Peavoy.
One area of concern for coach Nigel Peavoy must have been the old problem of conceding too many penalties at the breakdown. Portlaoise may have got away with the constant infringements on Sunday but against a better team they will be punished for their indiscretions.
There will also be a need to tighten up on their midfield defence which once again was lax at times, although it has to be said Johnny Kingsley had his best outing in some time.
Portlaoise had their first opportunity to put points on the board after five minutes but Jamie Kavanagh’s penalty effort from out side the 22 was carried wide by the stiff breeze. The outhalf made amends 17 minutes in when he split the posts from an almost identical position.
Two minutes later Edenderry outhalf Brian O’Carroll’s penalty kick from 25 metres into the stiff breeze fell short.
All the while Portlaoise forwards were controlling the game and it was appropriate their first try should come on 25 minutes from the pack’s work. Peavoy won a lineout seven metres out from the Edenderry line and the ball was mauled over the line for team captain Will Sherlock to touch down. With a magnificent kick from the sideline Kavanagh added the conversion.
On the half hour mark some abysmal defended by the home side allowed Edenderry into the danger territory and when he controlled yet another maul the ball was spun wide for winger Jack Kilmurray to go over in the corner to halve Portlaoise’s advantage.
The home side wasted no time in responding and from a lineout in almost an identical position to that from which they scored their first try, they again mauled the ball over and this time Culliton got the touch down to leave Portlaoise leading 155 at the break.
On the restart Portlaoise continued where they had left off and drove their way inside the visitor’s 22. With a series of rucks play was worked into the centre of the field and when Richard Gee spun the ball back to Kavanagh the outhalf dropped the perfect goal.
To a large degree the game petered out after this with most of the play concentrated in the middle of the field with neither side really threatening another score. That said, the score of the game was to follow.
Midway through the half Edenderry mounted one of their rare attacks but knocked on the ball on the Portlaoise 22. From the resulting scrum McEvoy broke and fed Kingsley on the blind.
The centre drew his man and his perfectly weighted pass sent full back Gavin Thomson clear. He in turn spotted his name sake on the wing cut inside and another well timed pass sent him clear inside his own half. But he still had to evade a number of tackles before rounded the full back to score under the posts. Kavanagh’s conversion left Portlaoise leading 25-5 entering the final quarter.
The final quarter was dour. Portlaoise were in control and Edenderry realistically had no chance of catching them. The final score of the game did fall to the Offaly side who for once got it together and when won possession from a ruck on the left they moved the ball wide where the left winger entered the line and spilt the home defence before passing to Tom Fossett to go over in the corner. And so it ended.
The draw for the second round will not take place for a couple of weeks leaving clubs to concentrate on the league. Next Sunday Portlaoise travel to Skerries where they will be hoping to repeat Athy’s giant killing performance on Sunday when they caused the upset of the round when beating Skerries in the cup.