'This is exactly where we wanted to be'- Pat Roe delighted as Portarlington reach last four in Leinster

Portarlington booked their place in the Leinster Club SFC semi-final in two weeks’ time after defeating Louth champions Naomh Mairtin 0-14 to 1-8 at the Integral GAA Grounds in Drogheda. 

For manager Pat Roe, the result leaves his side exactly where they set out to be from the beginning of the season.

“This is exactly where we wanted to be, to be honest. This is exactly where we thought we'd be. At the start of the year, we talked about it, so here we are. We're two games from winning the Leinster Championship. I watched Athy last night, very, very good team, very well-organised. It’ll be a huge test for us in Newbridge, but this is where we want to be, and we're happy to be there,” he said.

For Roe, the performance was built on something deeper than tactics or systems. He said the message before the throw-in was simple.

“Before the game, I had said to them, Look, this is a game with all the processes, all the tactics and strategies. Put that aside; it's about human values, and I taught our human values of unity, hard work, self-belief, and determination. All those human values were on full display there today,” Roe said.

Roe also revealed that the squad travelled to Drogheda confident that if they were still in the game entering the final stretch, they would emerge victorious.

“We talked about it on the way up that if we're in the game with ten minutes to go, we would win because of that sheer blooded-mindedness that these lads have,” he added.

Portarlington’s blistering first-half display, nine points from nine shots, set the foundation for the win, as they took a 0-9 to 0-4 lead into the break.

“It’s what we expected. It's only my second year with these lads, but I know what they're capable of, and I thought our first-half performance was fantastic. I thought that after they got the goal, our performance after that was even better. We managed the game so well. And to be honest, I'm of the belief that if they didn't get that goal, we'd have been comfortable winners. I've no doubt about it in my head anyway,” Roe said.

Aside from the six minutes after half-time when Naomh Mairtin hit 1-2 to level the game, Roe felt his side were largely in control.

“They got one good chance in the second-half, and it was a bit of a goal-line stand, but I thought we were comfortable. We looked at them, they seemed to get scores quite easily in the Louth championship, and we were determined that they would have to work for everything, and they did have to work for everything,” he said.

One of the standout performers was Darragh Galvin, who chipped in with four crucial points and caught the eye of his manager.

“He was superb. In a team full of great performances, I thought his was definitely a stand-out performance. But this, from my point of view, has been just a matter of time. It's not a matter of if; it was a matter of time before it was going to happen,” Roe admitted.

There was a late change before throw-in when Jordan Fitzpatrick was ruled out after suffering an injury in the warm-up, meaning Tom Corcoran, fresh from three U-20 games in the previous week, stepped into the starting 15.

“This is what a squad means. Tom started the first three games for us, and then he's been coming on in games since. His attitude to training, his attitude to performance, has been absolutely first-class. It was a late withdrawal; Jordan Fitz got injured in the warm-up, and Tom was told, You're going in, and he emptied the can completely,” he said.

The large travelling support in Drogheda also left a mark on the players and management, with Roe describing the post-match scenes as special.

“Very special. We normally have a circle at the end of the game, and the players said, No, no, we're going over there, and rightly so. The Port crowd far out-voiced the opposition, and they were a huge lift to us, particularly when that game was to be there to be won and lost in the second-half,” Roe said.

Next up is a clash with Kildare champions Athy, who impressed in their win over Summerhill.

“I think you're right, I think that's exactly it. I think going to Newbridge is something we relish. We have the height of respect for Athy. They're a big, strong physical team. I thought they were very, very, very good last night, well-structured and well-organised. It's going to be a huge test for us again,” he ended.

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