Heartbreak for Portlaoise CBS as they lose out to Clane in Shield final

South Leinster Junior Hurling ‘C’ Shield Final 

Scoil Mhuire Clane 3-15 

Portlaoise CBS 3-7 

PORTLAOISE CBS suffered heartbreak on Friday morning last when they lost out to a very strong Scoil Mhuire Clane outfit in South Leinster Junior ‘C’ Hurling Shield final in the LOETB Centre of Excellence.

The Kildare side were top class from the word go and ultimately the final was over within 20 minutes on the clock in the first half.

But to give Portlaoise CBS credit they were 2-11 to 0-1 down at halftime, but they came out fighting in the second half and could have gotten closer only for the Clane goalkeeper Paddy Harrington denying them on multiple occasions.

Adam Conway got the scoring under way with a point from a free. They then soon had the ball in the back of the net as Barry Delaney made no mistake in finding the net.

In the next 15 minutes, it was total domination from the Kildare school as Portlaoise CBS failed to score in the remaining of the half.

Scoil Mhuire Clane would hit the next 1-10 and were complete control of the game going into the break.

The points came Conway, Adam Smyth, Cillian Dunne who all got two points while Callum Dunne hit the other three points.

In between all the scores, the victors would grab their second goal of the game through Barry Delaney as the keeper fumbled his shot into the net to leave the home side a mountain to climb.

The score at halftime was bleak for Portlaoise CBS as they were behind 2-11 to 0-1 The Clane school didn’t let up at the start of the second half and got a third goal through Michael Barr and it was now a case of how much they were going to win by.

But the Portlaoise side battled hard with Fionn Delaney getting a point, he then grabbed the goal of the game as he shot from 21 yards right into the top corner to give his side belief.

They would hit the next 1-5 without reply with Rory Hand and Delaney getting the other four while TJ Mahony got the goal to put a bit of respectability on the score sheet.

The home side went in search of goals in the dying embers but were denied by a string of good saves by Paddy Harrington.

The victors added two more points before the final whistle, but the Portlaoise side had the final say with a goal from Jack Dowling as Scoil Mhuire Clane were deserving winners.

Scorers:

Clane: Adam Conway 0-7 (0-4fs), Barry Delaney 2-0, Callum Dunne 0-3, Michael Barr 1-0, Cillian Dunne and Adam Smyth 0-2 each, Tadgh O’Hare 0-1. Portlaoise: Fionn Delaney 1-5 (0-4fs), TJ Mahony and Jack Dowling 1-0 each, Rory Hand 0-2.

SCOIL MHUIRE CLANE: Paddy Harrington; Wizzie Arthur, Art Ormsbury, Dualta Gorry; Oran Dorrin, Cillian Dunne, Adam Smyth; Tadgh O’Hare, Killian Dunne; Callum Dunne, Adam Conway, Oscar Heffernan; Mark Mullahy, Barry Delaney, Michael Barr.

Subs Used: Conor Brennan, Matthew Coneff, Adam Yeats PORTLAOISE CBS: Shane Carroll; Charlie Heffernan, Tadgh Graham, Dylan Clear; Daragh Lalor, Andrew Larkin, Sean Hogan; TJ Mahony, Joe Kelly; Aedan Conroy, Rory Hand, Thomas Tynan; Fionn Delaney, Joe Downey, Leon Davis.

Subs Used: Finn Rowe, Jack Dowling, Jack Downey, Mark Fennell, Mickey Doyle, Rory Kennedy, Sean Dunne.