Wasted chances but Portarlington still win convincingly

Leinster League Division 2B/3 

Portarlington 28 

North Meath 7 

THIS weekend marked the return of the Leinster League as the teams up and down the divisions played their first games of 2026.

In Division 2B/3 third-place Portarlington, sitting on 32 points after six wins and a draw from their eight games in 2025, welcomed North Meath to Lea Road on Saturday evening, with the visitors just one place further back in fourth, but nine points adrift with a 50/50 record thus far.

The game marked a big milestone for Portarlington, who officially unveiled their new floodlights and walking track. And they marked the occasion with an impressive bonus-point victory in a game where neither side managed a single score in the entire second half.

Portarlington hit the ground running but squandered half a dozen chances to score a try in just the first five minutes, all of which was played in the North Meath 22.

Instead it was the visitors who took the lead in the 10th minute, finally relieving pressure with a great clearance kick and getting the rub of the green on the bounce as Daniel Adekunle gathered and touched down in the corner. Oisin McDermott added the conversion to make it 7-0 completely against the run of play.

The hosts went back on the attack right from the restart and set up shop in the North Meath 22 once more, only to see another handful of try-scoring opportunities go begging.

It took 20 minutes for the hosts to get off the mark and it came in the form of a try when second row Jack McCann powered his way over underneath the posts, with Andrew Evans adding the extras to bring the sides level.

Portarlington took the lead for the first time after half an hour when a lovely breakaway move set Eoin Worrell off down the wing before he finished under the posts to leave a straightforward conversion for Evans who made it 14-7.

The full back then scored arguably the try of the game moments later when he gathered the ball on halfway and raced past a score of defenders before stepping the last man to score underneath the posts. He celebrated the try before grabbing the tee and adding the extras himself.

With two minutes to go before the break, referee Eamon Timmins awarded Portarlington a penalty try for repeated infringements by North Meath on their own line, sealing the bonus-point for the hosts in the process. 28-7 at half time.

North Meath were on top at the start of the second half as the physicality went up a gear and the rain began to pour.

Portarlington wrestled back control and went in search of a fifth try, but they were met with a stubborn defence from the away side who never gave up the ghost.

The hosts remained a threat deep into the half, with big carries from Jack Hennessy and Jack Hynes, a few moments of magic from Adam Lambkin and some expert kicking out of hand from fly half Jordan Fitzpatrick - yet it was not enough to unlock the North Meath defence.

The visitors came back into the game in the final quarter, and it was Portarlington's turn to defend, standing firm for a full five minutes before turning the ball over on their own line.

The final ten minutes was something of a free-for-all as both sides went hammer and tongs in search of the first score of the second half, but neither could manage it as the tie ended as it was at half time on a scoreline of 28-7 to the Laois club.

Portarlington are back in action this coming Sunday when they make the trip to Togher to face fierce rivals Portlaoise with whom they are battling neck and neck at the top of the table.

SCORERS:

Portarlington: Andrew Evans (1 try, 3 cons), Jack McCann and Eoin Worrell (1 try each), penalty try.

North Meath: Daniel Adekunle (1 try), Oisin McDermott (1 con).

PORTARLINGTON: Andrew Evans; Eoin Worrell, Adam Lambkin, Jack Hynes, Anavil Storey; Jordan Fitzpatrick, Darragh Perry; Conor Perry, Jack Hennessy, James Dunne; Jason Yellop, Jack McCann; Warren Murray, Gavin Crampton, Toby Neilson-Dry.

Replacements: Fintan Murphy, Aaron Costello, Craig Shaw, Dylan Stronge, Reinas Balakauskas, Peter Dunne, Jamie Delaney.

NORTH MEATH: Jordan Hering; Eoin Briody, Senan McDermott, Éanna Finn, Conor Rennicks; Oisin McDermott, Sean O'Reilly; Padraic McGurl, Killian Flanagan, Sean Gilsenan; Harry Finnegan, Graham Boland; Alex Duff, Alex Kenny, Peter Flanagan.

Replacements: Justin McPhillips, Tommy Brady, Conor Grey, Simon Deevy, Matthew Farrelly, Brian O'Connor, Daniel Adekunle.

Referee: Eamon Timmins