Once again Portlaoise just about edge a local nail-biting derby

Portarlington 21 

Portlaoise 27 

THESE two neighbouring rivals served up yet another thriller, the third such game in four weeks. The three games may have gone Portlaoise’s way but in each and every one they were fight tooth and nail.

When they met in Togher in mid-January in the Leinster League, the home side won 31-21. At the same venue the following week Portlaoise came out in their Provincial Towns Cup encounter 33-28. And on Sunday Portlaoise just about hung on to take the spoils winning by six points. So, in three games the accumulative difference was 21 points, averaging out at just seven points per game.

Not for the first time in these games Portlaoise took the early initiative and playing with the wind at their backs led 20-0 at the break. Regardless of the wind assistance, the visitors to Lea Road looked fairly comfortable and were playing the more constructive rugby, causing Portarlington a lot of problems when they spread the ball wide.

On the changeover Portlaoise made a positional change with out half Bryan Croke swapping places with full back Oisin Hade. This did not pay dividends and soon after the norm was returned to.

Neither were Portlaoise helped by the fact that lock, Mark Sherlock was red card just before half time. When he became involved with Portarlington’s Toby Neilson Dry, both players got a severe talking to by the referee and then flashed red in Sherlock’s direction while the Portlaoise number 8 saw yellow.

Portarlington made very good use of the wind in this period and were creating a lot of anxiety in the Portlaoise rearguard. Ther home side went on to score three converted tries and could be considered a tad unlucky to have taken the spoils at the end of the game.

In recent games Portlaoise have made a habit of striking early and this was no different. Just two minutes into the game from a lineout the ball was whisked across the line where Kevin Griffin and Padraig Culleton linked up to send Joe McCormack in for a try.

Six minutes later it looked like Portlaoise ere on their way to scoring a second. When a Portarlington kick was partially blocked, Paddy Coss flicked the ball to Culleton who made great ground but his pass to Niall Keenan was deemed to have been forward.

As we reached the mid-point of the half five points became 10. This time Coss and Sherlock mage great ground before Jake Byrne fed Croke and the out half moved the ball on to Keenan. The winger made ground and as he was being closed down Croke popped up on his inside to take the pass and score.

Hade extended the lead with a penalty after a Portarlington was pinged for a high tackle and he was extremely lucky to stay on the pitch.

Tempers flared a little after this and in a subsequent passage of play the red and yellow cards were flashed in the 36th minute.

But there was still time for Portlaoise to somewhat fortuitously add to their tally. Portarlington were attacking deep inside Portlaoise territory when Ke

enan intercepted a pass and ran over 60 metres to score. Hade conversion gave Portlaoise a 20 point lead at the break.

Nine minutes after the restart Portarlington opened their account. When Portlaoise failed to find touch Portarlington went on the attacked and After applying a lot of pressure replacement Fintan Murphy crashed over for a try, with Jordan Fitzpatrick adding the extras.

For the next ten minutes or so Portarlington piled on the pressure but Portlaoise managed to repel each attack and looked to have lifted the siege in the 55th minute.

In a rare moment of dominance Portlaoise managed to move the ball wide where Hade made an excellent line break before passing to Culleton who race in for the try. Hade’s conversion made it 7-27.

But that score, if anything, spurred Portarlington to greater heights. They pinned back Portlaoise and when Keenan was deemed to have collapsed a maul, earning a yellow card, the referee awarded a penalty try.

Suddenly the gap was down to 13 points as we entered the final quarter and Portarlington were dominating affairs.

With 53 minutes on the clock, once again Portarlington elected to use their big men and tap a penalty from close to 30 metres out. They went through the phases before Murphy again got the touchdown, this time breaking the Portlaoise defence with hardly a hand laid on him.

Fitzpatrick’s conversion left just six points separating the sides, and in Jack Charlton parlance it was squeaky bum time for Portlaoise players and supporters as the home side continued to apply the pressure.

With the clock in the red Portarlington won a penalty but instead of kicking for the corner elected to take a scrum. As they drove time and time again at the Portlaoise defence it looked like that decision might just pay off, but that was until Paddy Coss won an crucial and his exuberant roar told its own story.

For Portarlington, the loss means any they ay have harboured of making the promotion play offs are gone.

However, promotion is still very much on the cards for Portlaoise. Their bonus point was matched by Roscrea who crushed Arklow 40-0 and still remain two points clear at the top of the table.

With games against Midland Warriors (home) and Arklow (away) for Portlaoise and Roscrea facing Garda and Midland Warriors, both away, it seems very much like this is going to go right down to the wire when the two meet in the final game on the league in Togher.

It is going to be a very busy few weeks for Portlaoise with them having to play four weeks on the trot. From that point of view Roscrea are fortunate to have lost to Mullingar in the opening round of the Provincial Towns Cup. It means now that they will have a week off in the run up to the last game.

PORTLAOISE: Oisin Hade; Niall Keenan, Padraig Culleton, Kevin Griffin, Joe McCormack; Bryan Croke, Jake Byrne; Paddy Coss, Ryan McEvoy, Aran Coiley; Cian Butler, Mark Sherlock; Cormac Rigney, Glen Connolly, Liam Doyle.

Replacements: Daniel Breen, Joe Stevens, Michael Rigney, Darragh Davies, Mark Kelly, Jamie Holihan, Marc Bracken.

PORTARLINGTON: Simon Dogget; Theo McGrath, Denville Maya, Jack Hynes, Anavil Storey; Jordon Fitzpatrick, Darragh Perry; Darragh Jewell, Jack Hennessy, Aaron Costello; Jack McCann, James Dunne; Warren Murray, Gavin Crampton, Toby Neilson Dry.

Replacements: Fintan Murphy, Devlin Jack McLaughlin, Jason Yellop, Craig Shaw, Jason Keogh, Reinas Balakauskas, Andrew Evans.

Referee: Marais van Zyl