Portlaoise CBS see of St Kieran’s College in goal fest to advance to final

Portlaoise 8-12 

St Kieran’s 5-6 

PORTLAOISE CBS second year footballers have advanced to the South Leinster ‘B’ final after overcoming St Kieran’s College of Kilkenny in an incredible game on Thursday morning in Portlaoise CBS grounds.

It was a goal fest from start to finish including 13 goals - with the home side coming out on top after they had to repel a second half come back from St Kieran’s College to advance to the final.

The victors had a brilliant first period which laid the foundations for the victory. Portlaoise led at half time 5-5 to 1-1 and you would have thought the game was over. But to the Kilkenny sides credit they got it back to three points but ran out of steam as Portlaoise found their second wind.

It was the away side who hit the front early on with a goal from Donie Cahill, but this was to be their last score until the 28th minute.

Daragh O’Riordan started the goal scoring for the home side with a tidy finish and was backed up quickly with a second goal from Fionn Delaney.

Delaney who was brilliant throughout added a point to his tally before the home side hit their third goal in the space of 12 minutes through Tadas Sirvatis and it looked like game over already.

Delaney and Fionn McLernon added two more points to open up a ten-point gap as they were ruthless in front of goal.

Ryan Fennell then got on the scoresheet with a brilliant effort before the Portlaoise would hit two more goals through Tadas Sirvatis and McLernon and it was a matter of damage limitation for the away side.

McLernon and Cahill traded points before the break to leave the scores at 5-5 to 1-1 leaving the Kilkenny side a mammoth task in the second half.

But to their credit, they came storming out of the traps and were a completely different team in the second half.

Daithi Egan got the scoring going for the victors before they rattled in three quick fire goals to get the comeback rolling. Cahill, Egan and Sam Byrne all register goals and a point from Egan also left the scores at 5-5 to 4-3 with the home side stunned by the Kilkenny school’s response.

The home side got a much needed point from Daragh O’Riordan, but incredibly Cahill added another goal and it looked like that the Kilkenny side were going to comeback for the win as they had all the momentum going into the last 12 minutes.

But the game took another turn as the home side settled down a bit and crucially scored another 1-2 without reply to repel the comeback. A goal from Fionn Delaney who also added another point with the excellent McLernon adding another.

Egan responded with a free, but they looked to of ran out of steam after making all the running in the majority of the second half.

The victors found another gear and crashed in two further goals from Ryan Fennell and Darragh O’Riordan to finally shrug off St Kiernan’s.

They finished with three more points, two from McLernon and O’Riordan as they booked their place in the South Leinster final.

SCORERS:

Portlaoise CBS: Fionn McLernon 1-6 (0-2fs), Fionn Delaney, Darragh O’Riordan 2-2 each, Tadas Sirvatis 2-0, Ryan Fennell 1-1, Jack Moore 0-1.

St Kieran’s College: Donie Cahill 3-2 (0-2 fs), Daithi Egan 1-3, Sam Byrne 1-1 PORTLAOISE CBS: Dylan Fitzpatrick; Finn Moore, Eoghan Dunne, Zac Scully; Luke Devaney, James Lynch, Jack Davis; Tadas Sirvatis, Brooklyn McCarthy; Fionn Mclernan, Darragh O’Riordan, Conal Lalor; Jack Moore, Fionn Delaney, Ryan Fennell.

ST KIERAN’S COLLEGE: Odhran Murphy; Sean Coogan, Peter Quinn, Mark Phelan; Joe Hanrahan, Jamie Kavanagh, Ryan Spelman; Michael Kirwan, Mark Byrne; Sam Byrne, Daithi Egan, Sean Dooley; MJ Carroll, Donie Cahill, John Hawe.