Late Portlaoise burst proves crucial in denying Killeshin a debut triumph
PORTLAOISE withstood an almighty challenge for Killeshin to claim a 35th Laois SFC title in O’Moore Park yesterday.
They were made to battle all the way by a superb Killeshin performance, as they belied their status as overwhelming underdogs. They were contesting their first ever Laois SFC final and were more than a match for their more vaunted opponents.
Portlaoise had opened the scoring in the second minute thanks to a lovely long-range effort from Kieran Lillis, but they were soon under the cosh.
In the next attack Killeshin carved open the Portlaoise defence and Eoin Lowry found himself one-onone with Michael Nolan.
Nolan got a hand to his initial effort and turned it onto the post, but Killeshin full-forward Cathal Brennan was on hand to tap the ball to the net, much to the delight of the vociferous Killeshin support.
Contention
That would prove to be Killeshin’s only score of the first half but they would remain in contention thanks in part to their own good defensive work and Portlaoise’s lack of cutting edge in attack.
The reigning champions took their time to draw level, but eventually did so thanks to points form Brian McCormack and Benny Carroll. Much of the rest of the first half was a tale of missed goal chances, with both teams guilty.
The first fell to Portlaoise’s Ricky Maher whose soccer-style shot was easily saved, and then Gareth Dillon denied Evan Lowry a certain goal for Killeshin with a last-ditch intervention.
Benny Carroll then had a shot for goal blocked for Portlaoise
before they butchered a two-on-one chance when Brian McCormack’s pass to an in-rushing Brian Glynn was over-hit and ran out of play.
Portlaoise still managed to lead at the break, though, as Brian McCormack and Kieran Lillis both hit their second points of the half to see them 0-5 to 1-0 to the good at the interval.
Killeshin needed to kick themselves into gear in attack on the resumption, and that’s exactly what they did. Eoin Lowry kicked an early point before Evan Lowry was afforded 40 yards of space to run straight through on goal and place a shot into the top corner.
Portlaoise had to respond and they had hauled themselves level by the 43rd minute with points from Brian McCormack and Gareth Dillon, as the pace of the game picked up.
Killeshin captain David Aston was keeping his side in the game with some wonderful scores, but the crucial period of the game came in
the final seven minutes. Portlaoise just clicked into a higher gear, as they hit four points in as many minutes through Gareth Dillon (2), Conor Boyle and Brian Glynn.
Killeshin, to their credit, refused to buckle and narrowed the gap back to one thanks to two points from their captain, David Aston, but a handful of late misses proved costly.
Portlaoise held on in the end to record a one-point win, their 12th title in the last 13 years, but few of them were as hard-earned as this one.
SCORERS – Portlaoise: K Lillis, B McCormack (1f), B Glynn, G Dillon 0-3 each; C Boyle, B Carroll 0-1 each. Killeshin: D Aston 0-6 (2f, 1 ’45); C Brennan, Evan Lowry 1-0 each; Eoin Lowry 0-1.
KILLESHIN – S Coakley; A Mahon, J Mahon, S Attride; M McDermott, S Bolger, D Aston; G Brennan, B Lowry; K Ryan, Eoin Lowry, Evan Lowry; M Doran, C Brennan, A Deering. Subs: B Ryan for Deering (41), R Bolger for Doran (45), P Bolton for McDermott (50), L Attride for B Lowry (54)
PORTLAOISE – M Nolan; D Seale, F Flanagan, B Mulligan; Chris Finn, G Saunders, G Dillon; K Lillis, C McEvoy; D Larkin, C Boyle, B Glynn; B McCormack, B Carroll, R Maher. Subs: D Holland for Maher (40), Colin Finn for Seale (53), R McEvoy for Glynn (58), Craig Rogers for Larkin (62)
REF – B McCann (Portarlington)