Portarlington cruise into Leinster quarter-final with comfortable win over Old Leighlin
The Portarlington team which had a convincing win over Carlow champions Old Leighlin in the opening round of the Leinster Club Senior Football Championship played at Netwatch Cullen Park on Saturday Photo: Denis Byrne
Portarlington 1-12
Old Leighlin 0-6
JUST a week after clinching their fifth Laois title in six years, Portarlington made the short journey to Netwatch Cullen Park on Saturday evening to meet the Carlow champions, Old Leighlin in opening round of the provincial championship.
The Laois SFC champions went on to book their place in the quarter-finals of this year’s AIB Leinster Club Senior Football Championship with a convincing nine-point victory over Old Leighlin. From the outset, Portarlington were in control and never looked in danger of being upset, dominating the contest from start to finish.
They lined out without Jake Foster and Sean Byrne, both of whom had returned to Australia earlier in the week. Despite those absentees, Portarlington got off to a flying start, with Rioghan Murphy opening the scoring inside 40 seconds. Moments later, county final man of the match Colm Murphy doubled their advantage from a free.
Portarlington quickly found success pressing Old Leighlin’s short kick-outs, forcing turnovers and keeping their opponents under constant pressure. Old Leighlin eventually got off the mark in the eighth minute through a Seamus Kinsella free, and he followed it up with another placed ball shortly after to make it two points for both himself and his side.
That brief spell was as good as it got for the Carlow champions, as Portarlington responded with five unanswered points in an eight-minute burst. Paddy O’Sullivan continued his fine form with the first of those scores. Old Leighlin almost struck back when James Dowling broke forward at pace, but his effort went wide of Luke O’Reilly’s goal. At the other end, Jordan Fitzpatrick, starting in place of Foster, curled over a fine point from play.
A moment of indiscipline then cost Old Leighlin, as they were penalised for over-carrying and then for failing to return the ball, allowing referee Ian Howley to move the free up to the 13-metre line, Colm Murphy made no mistake firing over the bar. Rioghan Murphy added another from a free before Ronan Coffey pointed following a clever one-two off a 45’.
Mikey Bambrick replied with Old Leighlin’s third point, but Fitzpatrick and another Colm Murphy free ensured Portarlington went in at the break comfortably ahead, 0-9 to 0-3.
Portarlington picked up right where they left off after the restart. Colm Murphy converted his fourth free of the night, and O’Sullivan added his second from play to stretch the lead to eight points entering the final quarter. However, they had to manage a tricky spell when captain Ronan Coffey received a black card, leaving them with 14 men for ten minutes.
After a long scoring drought that stretched back to the 25th minute, Old Leighlin finally found a score through Bambrick in the 50th minute. Aaron Amond then reduced the margin to six with eight minutes remaining, and substitute Sean Taylor made it a five-point game soon after.
But Portarlington’s bench made an impact of their own, as substitute Sean Michael Corcoran pointed within moments of coming on. The Laois side then managed the game calmly in the closing stages, holding possession before Rioghan Murphy added a late goal to seal the win.
Pat Roe’s men now progress to the last eight of the Leinster Championship, where they will meet Louth champions Naomh Mairtín in two weeks’ time.
SCORERS:
Portarlington: Rioghan Murphy 1-2 (0-1f), Colm Murphy 0-4 (fs), Jordan Fitzpatrick and Paddy O'Suillivan 0-2 each, Ronan Coffey and Sean Michael Corcoran 0-1 each.
Old Leighlin: Seamus Kinsella (fs) and Mikey Bambrick 0-2 each, Aaron Amond and Sean Taylor 0-1 each.
PORTARLINGTON: Luke O’Reilly; Mikey Bennett, Robbie Pigott, Curtis Lyons; Alex Mohan, Jason Moore, Patrick O’Sullivan; Keith Bracken, Sean Byrne; Darragh Slevin, Ronan Coffey, Rioghan Murphy; Colm Murphy, Darragh Galvin, Jordan Fitzpatrick.
Subs: Tom Corcoran for Galvin (49m), Sean Michael Corcoran for Fitzpatrick (58m).
OLD LEIGHLIN: Steven Scallan; Jordan Kelly, Seán Bambrick, Tadhg Roche; Tadhg O'Neill, Niall Roche, Jamie Doyle; Ian Atkinson, Mikey Bambrick; Darragh Fitzgerald, David Bambrick, James Dowling; Cathal Coughlan, Seamus Kinsella, Aaron Amond.
Subs: Sean Taylor for D Bambrick (42m), Mark Brennan for Coughlan (58m).
Referee: Ian Howley (Dublin).
