REPORT: Mountmellick hit top gear to dismantle Portlaoise

After struggling past Annanough in the last round, Mountmellick put in a much more polished display against Portlaoise Intermediates to reach the semi-finals once more. Mountmellick have come close the last couple of seasons at this grade, and judging from their performances so far they will be tough opponents for any one of the last four.

Laois Intermediate Football Championship Quarter Final

Mountmellick 2-15

Portlaoise 1-5

Mountmellick held Portlaoise to just a single point in the first half in an extremely disciplined defensive display. Shane Dowling scored the opening point for Mountmellick, before Colm Coss nearly got in for an early goal but was denied by the reflexes of Michael O’Connell in the Portlaoise net.

Nevertheless, Colm Coss did raise a white flag moments later after the big man showed a nice bit of skill to make room for the point. John Noonan fired Mountmellick three points to the good after he expertly caught a long ball from David Kelly, and then the first goal of the game arrived.

It was Mountmellick midfielder David Kelly who planted the ball into the back of the Portlaoise net, as his side looked dominant across the pitch in the opening stages of the contest. Niall Mullen nailed a free for Mountmellick, before Portlaoise grabbed their only score of the half through a nice Ben Brennan point.

Mountmellick maintained their control on proceedings though, with Niall Mullen (free), David Kelly and John Noonan all kicking points to put them 1-7 to 0-1 ahead as the first water break came.

Portlaoise played some better football after the water break ended, but they couldn’t find their shooting range and were left with nothing to show. Mountmellick made them rue their misses chances, as Niall Mullen handpassed to the onrushing Colm Coss, who palmed it into an empty net from a few yards out.

Mullen scored the last point of the first half, and Mountmellick went into the break with a 2-8 to 0-1 advantage. At this stage, the game was well and truly over as a contest.

Upon the restart, Mountmellick keeper Eoghan Keogh was called into rare action. Keogh managed to get a strong hand on efforts from Johnathan Rafter and Ben Conroy, and keep Mountmellick’s clean sheet intact.

Colm Coss weaved one way and then another before landing the first score of the second-half, before out of nowhere, two red cards were handed out by referee Thomas Kennedy. Portlaoise’s Murray Rogers and Mountmellick’s Ethan Lawlor were ushered off the field after getting involved in a needless incident.

Johnathan Rafter fired over only Portlaoise’s second score of the match, but Mountmellick responded with delightful efforts from David Kelly and Colm Coss to go 2-11 to 0-2 ahead as the sides headed for the second water break.

Johnathan Rafter landed another free for Portlaoise when play resumed, but Bernard Rochford and Niall Mullen replied with a point apiece. Portlaoise did grab a consolation goal though, as Chris Lynch found the net from close-range.

Niall Mullen and Ben Brennan traded points, before Mountmellick substitute John Connolly scored the last point of the match to round off a solid performance.

 MOUNTMELLICK 

Scorers: Colm Coss 1-3, David Kelly 1-2, Niall Mullen 0-5 (0-4 frees), John Noonan 0-2, Shane Dowling, Bernard Rochford and John Connolly 0-1 each

Team: Eoghan Keogh; Cian Thompson, Gearoid Hanrahan, Oisin Morris; Darren McDermott, Mark Dowling, Redmond McEvoy; David Kelly, Cian McCann; Bernard Rochford, Colm Coss, Darren Fitzpatrick; John Noonan, Niall Mullen, Shane Dowling. Subs: Ethan Lawlor for Fitzpatrick (10 mins, inn)  Curtis Lee for Rochford (49 mins), John Connolly for Coss (49 mins), Darragh Hanlon for Noonan (49 mins), Steve Lynch for Kelly (54 mins)

PORTLAOISE

Scorers: Chris Lynch 1-0, Johnathan Rafter 0-3 frees, Ben Brennan 0-2

Team: Michael O’Connell; Sam-Murphy Kerry, Murray Rogers, Dean Lynch; Jack O’Connell, Colin Finn, Eoin Carey; Chris Lynch, Kevin Swayne; Ben Conroy, Ben Brennan, Niall Carey, Michael Nerney, Johnathan Rafter, Aaron Rafter. Subs: Jamie Keenan for D Lynch (41 mins, inj)

REFEREE: Thomas Kennedy (Killeshin)