O’Connor displays nerves of steel to land the point that saw Portlaoise clinch U/15 title
Portlaoise U/15 footballers who were crowned 'A' championship winners when getting the better of Mountmellick Parish Gaels on Saturday Photo: Denis Byrne
Midlands Park Hotel U/15 Football ‘A’ Final
Portlaoise 2-10
Mountmellick Parish Gaels 1-12
PORTLAOISE left Laois Hire O'Moore Park on Saturday afternoon as the Midlands Park Hotel U/15 ‘A’ football champions after overcoming Mountmellick Parish Gaels in a breathless encounter.
Ethan O'Connor was the man of the hour as he showed nerves of steel in the 63rd minute to land a free to clinch glory for Portlaoise.
It was an audacious effort from O’Connor with the outside of his boot and it showed his mentality as he had missed an effort from a similar distance less than a minute earlier.
Mountmellick Parish Gaels looked down and out at halftime but came storming back and went into the lead with two minutes left but Portlaoise kicked on and got the last two points of the game to seal the title.
Portlaoise got off to a dream start with Danny Brennan finding the net from close range. Ethan O'Connor would hit the two next points from frees.
It took Mountmellick Parish Gaels 11 minutes to get on the score sheet from Mo Charam to settle his team into the contest.
Noah Finn and Fionn Delaney responded for Portlaoise to extend the lead to six points. Mountmellick Parish Gaels started to dominate and kicked the next 1-2 without reply to drag themselves back into the game.
The goal coming from Dan Blanc which was superbly take while Fionn Burke registered two points to leave the gap at one.
Maksymillian Piech would kick his first score before a vital moment came in the game when Fionn Delaney found the net for Portlaoise to give them a five-point lead.
O'Connor and Burke would trade scores before the break to leave the scores at 2-6 to 1-4 to Portlaoise.
There was a lull at the beginning of the half, and it would take 11 minutes before the first score which came through from Piech.
Burke then landed a massive two pointer which sparked his team to life, although O'Connor responded for Portlaoise it was all Mountmellick as the momentum shifted in their direction.
They would hit the next six points to overcome the deficit and to lead by a point going into the final minutes.
Burke landed four frees while Ryan Feery and Dean Comerford landed two more points and it looked like Mountmellick Parish Gaels were going to go on to win the game.
But Portlaoise steadied themselves in midfield and won primary possession from the kickout and worked the ball through the hands and found Danny Breen who got the equaliser.
As the clock ticked into injury time it looked like the match was going to be decided in extra time but Portlaoise' Ethan O'Connor landed a 63rd minute free to send the U/15 title back to Rathleague.
SCORERS:
Portlaoise: Ethan O'Connor 0-5 (fs), Danny Breen and Fionn Delaney 1-1 each, Maksymillian Piech 0-2, Noah Finn 0-1. # Mountmellick Parish Gaels: Fionn Burke 0-9 (0-6fs, 1 two-pointer) Dan Blanc 1-0, Mo Charam Dean Comerford and Ryan Feery 0-1 each.
PORTLAOISE: Aaron Egan; Max Whelan, Tadgh Graham, Darragh Ging; Tadas Sirvatis, Lee McStay, Eoghan Fennell; Culainn McEvoy, Dylan Clear; Danny Breen, Ethan O'Connor, Maksymillian Piech; Fionn Delaney, Noah Finn, Ryan Fennell.
Sub: Brooklyn McCarthy for Sirvatis (41m).
MOUNTMELLICK PARISH GAELS: Michael Conroy; Conor Hibbits, Alan Kenny, Jack Mullen; Jay Lee, Alex Connolly, JJ Reddin; Ryan Feery, Dean Comerford; Dan Blanc, Charlie McEvoy, Darragh Delaney; Ryan Gorman, Fionn Burke, Mo Chode.
Subs: Jason Fallon for Lee (28m), Bobby O'Connell for Blanc (38m).
Referee: Clifford Ward (Portarlington)
