Portlaoise bounce back in style to keep title defence alive

Portlaoise 4-13 

Graiguecullen 1-4 

PORTLAOISE are up and running in the LGFA Senior Championship after bouncing back from their opening round defeat to Ballyroan to hammer Graiguecullen in Rathleague on Sunday afternoon.

The home side needed to win to keep alive their hopes of defending their title and that they did. They were impressive in patches, but will they know they will have to make huge improvements if they want to go deep in this year's championship.

It was all Portlaoise in the opening 16 minutes, until the game was halted for a number of minutes with a serious head injury to Sarah Fleming.

At that stage of the game, it was 1-6 to 0-0 in favour of Portlaoise and remarkably there was to be no other score in the first period.

But Portlaoise got back on top in the second period to register their first win of their championship campaign It was Leah Brophy that opened the scoring for Portlaoise with a close range free, Lara Culleton followed that point up straight away with a fine effort from play.

Culleton then struck for the first goal of the game hitting the top corner of the net to give Portlaoise an early lead.

They would then reel off four-points in a row through Ciara Crowley, Grainne Moran, Lara Culleton and Alison Taylor to put their side in complete control after 15 minutes.

The injury then happened to Sarah Fleming as there was a bad clash of heads which halted the game for a number of minutes.

There were no more scores in the first half, as Portlaoise led 1-6 to 0-0.

Portlaoise then got back on the scoring trail and fired over three more points in a row. Grainne Moran, Leah Brophy and half-time substitute Leah Loughman all pointing to finish the game as a contest.

Mia Branagan finally got Graiguecullen on the scoresheet in the 38th minute and they started to settle into the game after that.

Alison Taylor responded with a point from play and Portlaoise then struck for their second goal of the game through Grainne Moran who calmly finished to the net.

Graiguecullen then got on top for the next five minutes with Ella Byrne and Mia Brangan firing over before they struck for goal through Lauren Walsh.

Grainne Moran and Leah Brophy hit further scores as Portlaoise were starting to go up through the gears.

Branagan hit another point, but Portlaoise finished strong, first with a point from Grainne Moran, and would hit two goals in a matter of a minute.

Alison Taylor's long-range effort found the net, while Leah Brophy punished a short kickout to finish off the scoring to give Portlaoise a vital win.

SCORERS:

Portlaoise: Grainne Moran 1-4 (0-1f), Leah Brophy 1-3 (0-1f), Lara Culleton and Alison Taylor 1-2 each, Ciara Crowley and Leah Loughman 0-1 each.

Graiguecullen: Mia Branagan 0-3 (0-2fs), Lauren Walsh 1-0, Ella Byrne 0-1.

PORTLAOISE: Keeva O'Reilly; Rebecca Reddin, Deirdre Phelan, Sarah Fleming; Ciara Crowley, Ashling Saunders, Rachel Byrne; Ciara Byrne, Faye Brown; Amarachi Obi, Alison Taylor, Molly McNulty; Leah Brophy, Grainne Moran, Lara Culleton.

Subs: Sarah McDonald for Fleming (16m), Leah Loughman for McNulty (ht).

GRAIGUECULLEN: Mary Ann O'Neil; Izzy Humphries, Katlyn Timmons, Sara Kerfah; Sally Almond, Jasmine Kinsella, Nicole Osbourne; Caoimhe Fitzpatrick, Jade Nolan; Lauren Walsh, Mia Branagan, Emer Cawley; Ella Byrne, Ashlee Smith, Hannah Kerfah.

Referee: Michael Tarpey (Kilcavan)