Portlaoise 1-9


Clara 0-3


Once the Laois champions gave themselves the cushion they needed with Paul Cahillane's superbly executed second half penalty, the final result was never in any doubt as they completely outclassed Clara.

The threat the Offaly men posed the first day was only evident in the first half, as they were simply overrun in the second with Portlaoise's attack finally showed Clara exactly what they were capable of. Their movement and passing was top class and in the end Clara lost their discipline, with Stephen Deehan set for a lengthy suspension after he pushed referee Joe Curley when he was shown his second yellow card.

It was only a sideshow at that point though, and it failed to take away from the Portlaoise performance. Even in the dense fog which enveloped O'Moore Park they never lost their way, and they will now enter the final with Garrycastle as favourites although the Westmeath side will pose a tougher threat than Clara ultimately did here.


SCORERS - Portlaoise: Paul Cahillane 1-3 (1-0 penalty), Barry Fitzgerald (both frees), Peter McNulty 0-2 each, Brian Smith, Jack Fennell 0-1 each; Clara: Stephen Deehan, Thomas Deehan (free), John O'Hara 0-1 each


PORTLAOISE: Michael Nolan; Malachy McNulty, Eoin Bland, Cahir Healy; Brian Mulligan, Kevin Fitzpatrick, Kieran Lillis; Aidan Fennelly, Brian McCormack; Craig Rogers, Barry Fitzgerald, Brian Glynn; Paul Cahillane, Colm Byrne, Peter McNulty. Subs: Brian Smith for Fitzpatrick (half time), Conor Boyle for Byrne (55 mins), Adrian Kelly for Glynn (58 mins), Jack Fennell for Rogers (58 mins), Christopher Higgins for Mulligan (61 mins)

CLARA: Kevin Meehan; Alan Cronin, Paul Mitchell, Darren Kelly; Deasun Baggott, Matthew Mitchell, Lorcan Hiney; Scott Brady, Graham Guilfoyle; Tony Dalton, John O'Hara, Stephen Deehan; Eoin Brady, John Reynolds, Thomas Deehan. Subs: Joe Quinn for Baggott (37 mins), Paul Deehan for O'Hara (43 mins), Michael Rosney for Cronin (52 mins), John Wedwith for Hiney (57 mins)

Referee: Joe Curley (Meath)