Moorehouse magic sees Bray Emmets over the line to end Portlaoise’s Leinster Hurling campaign

Bray Emmets have put an end to Portlaoise’s Leinster Intermediate Hurling campaign after a superb scoring performance from Christy Moorehouse saw the Wicklow side over the line in Echelon Park in Aughrim this afternoon.

The game was level on many occasions but it was Bray who pulled away in the end with Moorehouse getting 13 out of Bray’s 18 points on the day.

Bray Emmets 0-18

Portlaoise 0-16

Bray Emmets opened the scoring straight from the throw-in as Bray were awarded a free with Christy Moorehouse opening his tally. Conor Brown was fouled for the first Portlaoise score with Aaron Bergin pointing the resulting free. Moorehouse and Bergin traded scores from placed balls as the sides were locked level early on.

Marc Lennon from Bray was the man to get the first score from play while Moorehouse pointed his three of the contest with from a free. Portlaoise then hit the front with four scores without reply. Dylan Sheehan pointed for Portlaoise’s first white flag from play while Bergin pointed another two frees with Brown being fouled on both occasions.

Cormac Rigney’s point pushed Portlaoise two points ahead. Bray Emmets then hit their own purple patch as they raised five white flags without any Portlaoise resistance. Moorehouse pointed four more frees while Ben McCormack sold Dean Lynch a good dummy before splitting the posts to give Bray a three-point advantage.

Bergin knocked over his fifth point of the half before Bray split the posts twice before half-time. Moorehouse pointed his first from play while Arran Murphy got the final score of the half to give his side a four-point advantage at the break.

Portlaoise came out with firing in the second period as they fired over two scores within the first minute. Sheehan and Bergin (free) reducing the deficit to two points. Moorehouse got another score for Bray taking his tally to nine points. Portlaoise go ahead in the game soon after as they fired over four scores without reply.

Bergin pointed three frees while Dylan Sheehan pointed a monster free from his own half-back line with Portlaoise ahead by a single point, 0-13 to 0-12. Moorehouse pointed yet another free to level the teams before Bray would take the lead yet again. Half-back Padraig Doyle scored a superb point while Moorehouse showed his immense free-taking ability to get his 11th point of the contest.

The teams would be level for fifth time as Bergin pointed from play for the first time and also got another free with sides locked at 15 points apiece. The sides traded scores with Moorehouse and Bergin both raising white flags from frees.

Moorehouse stood up for his side when they needed him as he split the posts for the thirteenth time and what would prove to be a crucial score for Bray Emmets. Substitute Brian Nesbitt made sure of the victory late on as Brian Nesbitt raised a white flag.

Bray Emmets have now accounted for a Laois time in Leinster for the second successive year as they defeated Abbeyleix on route to winning the Leinster Intermediate Championship in 2022 while they also defeated Castletown in 2016.