2024 ends with a whimper, but Portlaoise have championship pedigree

PORTLAOISE RFC ended 2024 in third place in Division 2B of the Leinster League, finishing behind only Newbridge and North Meath. That is enough to see them safely through to the next phase of the competition, which will get under way in the New Year, but it could have been a very different story.

The team began the season with a six-game unbeaten run that set them up as one of the top two sides in the league alongside the only other unbeaten side in the division, Newbridge.

It began in September with a six-try win away to Meath club, Ratoath, with prop Paddy Coss stealing the headlines with an unlikely hat-trick to help his side to a bonus-point win. Portlaoise were forced to settle for a draw from their first home game of the season when they were held to a ten-all draw by North Meath with the wind blowing a gale in Togher.

They got back to winning ways two weeks later at home to Clane, where another hat-trick from Coss helped secure a bonus-point win that would set in motion a run of four consecutive victories.

Euan McCann has been a revelation this season since moving from wing to fly half, where he has taken over the kicking duties with aplomb. His most important kick of the season so far came in October when he landed a last-minute conversion to give his side a 17-15 victory away to Birr.

Portlaoise tightened their grip on second place in early November when they came out on the right side of a ten-try classic at home to Garda Westmanstown. The visitors were 20 points up after the first quarter, but Portlaoise cut the gap to just three at half time and completed the come-back in the second half. This was a big day for Ballyfin GAA star Allan Connolly, who came off the bench to score two tries as he inspired Portlaoise to a 46-32 win.

A trip to Arklow followed, with the Portlaoise forwards battling against the elements to power their side to yet another bonus-point win. It was all looking so rosy for Portlaoise, then along came Portarlington.

With both sides coming into the game in flying form, the Portarlington pack targeted Portlaoise’s scrum and line-out, completely dominating the Laois derby. Portlaoise not only coughed up four tries to their county rivals, but they failed to take even a losing bons point from the game. The match in Togher ended with late controversy as the sides were shown not one but two red cards each in the final five minutes.

Portlaoise looked to have recovered perfectly when they travelled to Westmeath two weeks later. They ran in four tries to secure the bonus point and leave themselves three points in front with time almost up. But a try in the last play of the game gave second-from-bottom Midland Warriors the most unlikely of wins.

Portlaoise brought the curtain down on 2024 by welcoming Newbridge to Togher in mid-December. What should have been an epic encounter between the league’s top two teams and become a dead rubber, with both sides already sure of their place in the next phase and no doubt in anyone’s mind as to who was the premier team in Division 2B.

And while the scoreline of 29-28 makes it look like a classic on paper, the result flatters Portlaoise. Newbridge led 29-0 in the second half before a red card and two yellow cards allowed Portlaoise to get themselves back into the game. Portlaoise scored four converted tries to earn a losing bonus-point as well a four-try bonus point; points which were the decisive factor as Portlaoise finished just one point above Portarlington.

Portlaoise will begin the next phase of the competition on Sunday, January 12, when they make the trip to Kells where they will face North Meath.

This is where wins, losses and bonus points really come to the fore. Portlaoise have a squad of about 25 regulars who have displayed incredible attributes throughout this campaign. Having missed out on winning the league on the final day of last season, Portlaoise will be desperate to go one better this time around.