Laois SFC Final: Portarlington win fifth title in six years

Laois SFC Final Replay

Portarlington 1-7 Courtwood 0-7

By Alan Hartnett at Laois Hire O'Moore Park

Portarlington are champions for the fifth time in six years after they defeated neighbours Courtwood in O'Moore Park this evening.

A second half penalty from Colm Murphy was the crucial score as Pat Roe's charges claimed glory once again.

It was another valiant effort from Courtwood but they failed to score from play in the entire game - with all bar one of their scores coming from Matthew Byron dead balls.

Courtwood made a dream start to the replay and were four points up inside the first five minutes.

They started when Cian Doyle won a free which keeper Matthew Byron slotted for the game's first two pointer.

They then won two more frees inside the 21 which Byron also slotted to give his side a commanding lead.

But incredibly, in the remaining 25 minutes, Courtwood failed to score again.

Portarlington struggled to get going in an attacking sense but that was greatly aided in the ninth minute when Sean Byrne boomed over a two pointer.

The next Portarlington score came in the 23rd minute when Daragh Galvin was fouled and Colm Murphy pointed the free.

He then had a glorious goal chance when Ronan Coffey picked him out with a pass but he shot wide while under pressure from a recovering Dan Boland.

And Portarlington drew level by half time when Paddy O'Sullivan, who had been tightly marked by Collins Ugochukwu, scored from distance.

That left it 0-4 apiece and we had to wait until the 36th minute for the first score of the second half.

Ryan Little was fouled and Byron slotted the free, ending Courtwood's half hour scoring drought.

But Port were level four minutes later as Rioghan Murphy popped over his first of the evening - only for Little and Byron to complete the same double act a minute later.

And then right at the midpoint of the half, Portarlington were awarded a penalty.

Keith Bracken flicked on a kick out to Ronan Coffey and he pinged a ball in to Colm Murphy. He rounded Dan Boland and got a shot away which was saved by Byron but referee Maurice Deegan adjudged that Murphy had been fouled by Boland as he took the shot.

The Portarlington man dusted himself down and sent Byron the wrong way to make it 1-5 to 0-6.

Moments later, Courtwood had a big goal chance when Niall Donoher played in Niall Dunne but Luke O'Reilly made a wonderful save in the Portarlington goal.

Jake Foster then slotted a free and Paddy O'Sullivan made it a four point game as we approached the end.

Rory Doyle ended a 20 minute scoring drought for Courtwood with a free which cut the gap to three with three minutes of injury time signalled.

But neither team scored again as Portarlington were crowned champions.

Scorers for Portarlington: Colm Murphy 1-1 (1-0 pen, 0-1 free), Sean Byrne (two pointer) and Paddy O'Sullivan 0-2 each, Jake Foster (free) and Rioghan Murphy 0-1 each

Scorers for Courtwood: Matthew Byron 0-6 (one two point free, four frees), Rory Doyle (free)

PORTARLINGTON: Luke O'Reilly; Mikey Bennett, Robbie Pigott, Diarmuid Bennett; Alex Mohan, Jason Moore, Paddy O'Sullivan; Keith Bracken, Sean Byrne; Darragh Slevin, Ronan Coffey, Rioghan Murphy; Jake Foster, Daragh Galvin, Colm Murphy. Subs: Curtis Lyons for D Bennett (41), Jordan Fitzpatrick for Slevin (45), Eoin McCann for Bracken (50)

COURTWOOD: Matthew Byron; Jake Doyle, Dan Boland, Adam O'Halloran; Niall Donoher, Niall Dunne, Eoghan Slattery; Sean O'Flynn, Rob Tyrell; Collins Ugochukwu, Cian Doyle, Paul O'Flynn; Alan Kinsella, Ryan Little, Rob Flynn. Subs: Mark O'Halloran for P O'Flynn (ht), Michael Doyle for J Doyle (50), Dylan Keane for Little (52), Rory Doyle for Flynn (58)

REFEREE: Maurice Deegan (Stradbally)