Portarlington finish strong against Graiguecullen to book fifth County Final appearance in six years

Portarlington's quest for a fifth Laois Shopping Centre Senior Football Championship in six years rolls on as they defeated Graiguecullen in a semi-final for the second year in a row.

Portarlington and Graiguecullen met in Laois Hire O'Moore Park on Sunday afternoon for the second time in this year's championship. It's also the second year in a row that they've met in the last four, with County Champions Portarlington getting the better of them in 2024. Graiguecullen won when the sides met in Round 2 back in August.

It was a game that failed to spring to life and it's one that Graiguecullen will feel they let get away as Portarlington were there for taking. They kicked nine wides to Portarlington's 10.

Graiguecullen almost had a goal from the throw-up as Aaron Forbes won it and played it to Mark Timmons, but his shot flashed wide of the goal. Portarlington also had a goal chance of their own after three minutes, as Paddy O'Sullivan ran along the end line, but fired his shot wide of Craig Doyle's right-hand post. Portarlington's Jake Foster got the game's first score from a free.

Then came the game's first goal and there was plenty of luck involved as Darragh Galvin's shot for a point hit the post and dropped into the arms of Colm Murphy, who side-stepped Doyle and fired into an empty net. Foster kicked his second point of the contest soon after as Portarlington led 1-2 to no score after nine minutes.

Seven scoreless minutes followed before Lee Walker was handed a chance to kick his side's first score as Portarlington broke the three-back rule. Another period of nothing came as 13 minutes passed without a score. In those 13 minutes, Ross Hennessy looked to be in for a goal, but Luke O'Reilly made a great save to push his shot onto the post.

Colm Murphy pushed Portarlington ahead by five with his first point of the game. Graiguecullen ended the half with three points from Walker to reduce the deficit to two points.. The first being a two-point free from Walker that was brought forward after Jake Foster stopped Kian Lawlor from taking a solo and go before Walker pointed from another placed ball. Portarlington led 1-3 to 0-4 at the break.

The second-half followed the same pattern as the first, as eight minutes passed before the first score of the second period. Graiguecullen's Sean McGrath made a great last-ditch tackle on Colm Murphy to deny him a goal. Colm Murphy pointed a free soon after with Brian Byrne replying down the other end for Graiguecullen. Another free from Murphy was followed with a great score from Paddy O'Sullivan as Port led by four points with 46 minutes on the clock.

Byrne popped up with a second score for Graigue, but that would prove to be their final score of the game after 47 minutes. Port showed their true champion credentials as they finished the game with nine points. Murphy pointed three of those, O'Sullivan added two more to his name, while Ronan Coffey and Jordan Fitzpatrick kicked a two-pointer each to see Port win by 12 in the end and into yet another County Final on Sunday, October 12.

FINAL SCORE

PORTARLINGTON 1-15

GRAIGUECULLEN 0-6

SCORERS-- Colm Murphy 1-6 (0-5 frees), Paddy O'Sullivan 0-3, Jake Foster (0-1 free), Jordan Fitzpatrick (two-pointer) and Ronan Coffey (two-pointer) 0-2 each. Graiguecullen: Lee Walker 0-4 (0-2 frees, one two-point free), Brian Byrne 0-2.

PORTARLINGTON: Luke O’Reilly; Mikey Bennett, Robbie Pigott, Curtis Lyons; Hugo Emerson, Jason Moore, Patrick O’Sullivan; Keith Bracken, Sean Byrne; Darragh Slevin, Ronan Coffey, Rioghan Murphy; Colm Murphy, Darragh Galvin, Jake Foster. Subs: Eoin McCann for Byrne (31 mins- 35 mins, Blood), Eoin McCann for Emerson (38 mins), Jordan Fitzpatrick for Byrne (54 min, inj), Tom Corcoran for Moore (56 mins), Sean Michael Corcoran for Galvin (58 mins)

GRAIGUECULLEN: Craig Doyle; Sean McGrath, Danny McGrath, Kian Lawlor; Mickey Horohan, Trevor Collins, Brian Byrne; Jamie Sheehan, Mark Timmons; Daniel O’Reilly, Lee Walker, Jack Byrne; Ross Hennessy, Aaron Forbes, Ben Dorgan. Subs: Aaron Dorgan for Sheehan (52 mins), Aidan Bradley for J Byrne (57 mins), Eoin Aylsbury for Horohan (58 mins)

Referee: Maurice Deegan (Stradbally)