Portlaoise edged out as St Joseph's win historic Laois GAA Senior Football Final

St Joseph's have ended a 23-year wait to lift the Jack Delaney Cup after they ground out a superb defensive performance to defeat Portlaoise in today's Senior decider.

St Joseph's 0-7

Portlaoise 0-6

Portlaoise got off to the brighter start as Paul Cahillane opened the scoring with a free after two minutes after Benny Carroll had been fouled. They soon increased their lead with Gareth Dillon splitting the posts off his weaker left-foot. St Joseph's didn't score for the first 10 minutes with Brian Daly and Oisin Hooney both dropping the ball in Conor Brown's hands while James Kelly kicked their first wide.

St Joseph's finally got off the mark in the 12th minute as Eoghan O'Flaherty pointed a free. Brian Daly raised their second successive white flag as the sides were level at two points apiece. Portlaoise edged themselves in front again as half-back David Seale split the posts, that would Portlaoise's last score of the half. Chris Finn then dived to block Dylan Doyle's effort on goal before St Joseph's ended the half in front as O'Flaherty kicked over another two frees to take his tally to three points.

The second-half began in the same manner as the first as Cahillane got the first score after the resumption with a superb outside of the boot effort. James Kelly and Kevin Swayne traded scores before Kieran Lillis pushed Portlaoise in front in the 51st minute. St Joseph's got the next two scores as they led going into the last five minutes. Daly and Kelly both raised white flags for the second time in the game.

Portlaoise went in search of a score that would force a replay but couldn't find it as St Joseph's won out by a single point in the end.