Colm Murphy's penalty the difference as Portarlington win a fifth Laois SFC in six years

Portarlington are the Laois Senior Football champions for the fifth time in six years after they squeezed past Courtwood in Saturday evening's replay in Portlaoise.

Colm Murphy's penalty with 15 minutes to play proved to be the winning score as Portarlington once again got their hands on the Jack Delaney Cup. Remarkably, Courtwood didn't manage to score from play, with six of their seven points coming from their goalkeeper Matthew Byron.

There was a great crowd packed into Laois Hire O'Moore Park on Saturday evening as Portarlington and Courtwood clashed for the second time in two weeks to see who would be crowned Laois Shopping Centre Senior Football champions. The game was also delayed by 10 minutes to deal with the crowd that was entering the stadium.

The weather in Portlaoise wasn't ideal for football and made for a very sloppy game with both sides guilty of hand passes not going to hand and trying to hop the ball on a greasy surface.

The wind blew from the Town End of O'Moore Park directly into the face of Luke O'Reilly in the Portarlington goal. Courtwood, just like they did in the first game, set a good early tempo and raced into a four-point lead. Courtwood's goalkeeper Matthew Byron came forward within 60 seconds to raise an orange flag after a foul on Alan Kinsella.

Byron ended up being Courtwood's only scorer of the half as he strolled upfield again to point two more frees after Ryan Little was fouled on both occasions. His second free came after he dispossessed Portarlington after they had tried to play out from the back. Portarlington's first score was outstanding as midfielder Sean Byrne sliced over a score from outside the arc after eight minutes to cut Courtwood's lead in half.

Mark Bates' charges were superb in the first 20-odd minutes as they frustrated the reigning champions and forced them into kicking wild shots into the wind that landed either in Byron's hands or went wide of the posts.

Darragh Galvin was then fouled with 23 minutes on the clock, which allowed Colm Murphy to raise a white flag from in front of the posts. Rioghan Murphy was superb too for Portarlington as he was central to all the good things that his side did in the first half-hour. Paddy O'Sullivan finally broke free from his marker, Collins Ugochukwu, to point a score to see the sides go into the dressing rooms all square at four points each and with all to play for in the second-half, although Port would be kicking with the wind.

The first point of the second period didn't come until the 36th minute as Byron scored his and Courtwood's five point of the evening. Rioghan Murphy then opened his account with a great point in reply for Portarlington. Byron took his total to six points as he pointed yet another free. 

Then came the game's big talking point as referee Maurice Deegan stood with his arms outstretched on the penalty spot. Colm Murphy had turned Dan Boland, and as he was about to shoot, Boland pulled at his arm, which led to Deegan awarding the penalty. Colm Murphy stepped up and sent Byron the opposite way, and Portarlington were ahead for the first time with 45 minutes on the clock.

Moments later, Courtwood almost had a goal of their own as Niall Donoher played a great ball to Niall Dunne, but Luke O'Reilly produced a great save with his right leg to deny him. Jake Foster pointed a free and O'Sullivan got his second of the night, a score which saw him give a big fist to the large Portarlington crowd. Courtwood substitute Rory Doyle came off the bench to score a late free, but they couldn't muster up a goal chance that would take the game to extra-time.

Portarlington will have a short turnaround before they enter the AIB Leinster Club Senior Football Championship as they're due to take on Carlow's Old Leighlin next Saturday evening at 6.15pm in Netwatch Cullen Park.

Final Score

Portarlington 1-7

Courtwood 0-7

SCORERS- Portarlington: Colm Murphy 1-1 (1-0 pen, 0-1 free), Sean Byrne (two-pointer) and Paddy O'Sullivan 0-2 each, Jake Foster (free) and Rioghan Murphy 0-1 each. Courtwood: Matthew Byron 0-6 (one two-point free, 0-4 frees), Rory Doyle 0-1 (free)

PORTARLINGTON: Luke O’Reilly; Mikey Bennett, Robbie Pigott, Diarmuid Bennett; Alex Mohan, Jason Moore, Patrick O’Sullivan; Keith Bracken, Sean Byrne; Darragh Slevin, Ronan Coffey, Rioghan Murphy; Colm Murphy, Darragh Galvin, Jake Foster. Subs: Curtis Lyons for D Bennett (41 mins), Jordan Fitzpatrick for Slevin (46 mins), Eoin McCann for Bracken (50 mins)

COURTWOOD: Matthew Byron; Collins Ugochukwu, Daniel Boland, Adam O’Halloran; Jake Doyle, Robbie Flynn, Eoghan Slattery; Sean O’Flynn, Robert Tyrell; Niall Dunne, Cian Doyle, Paul O’Flynn; Niall Donoher, Ryan Little, Alan Kinsella. Subs: Mark O'Halloran for P O'Flynn (HT), Michael Doyle for J Doyle (51 mins), Dylan Keane for Little (51 mins), Rory Doyle for Flynn (58 mins)

Referee: Maurice Deegan (Stradbally)