Murphy's lead the way as Portarlington cruise into 2020 Senior football final

Portarlington breezed into the 2020 Laois senior football final on Saturday night after they accounted for a Ballyfin who died with their boots on but didn't have the scoring power to match the Port men, highlighted by the fact that they failed to score in the second half and in fact their last score of the game coming as early as the 18th minute.

They will now face Graiguecullen next Sunday in the delayed 2020 final but will know that while they had little trouble accounting for Ballyfin, they were by no means perfect.

2020 Laois Senior Football Semi Final

Portarlington 1-12

Ballyfin 1-2

The Murphy brothers - Colm and David kicked 1-8 between them as they provided a constant threat in the inside line with their movement and accuracy.

Tricky conditions presented themselves in O'Moore Park and it was noticeable in the opening exchanges the amount of players losing their footing. Turnovers were high with both sides on top of their game in that regard and it was the Portarlington men who got the opening score of the game with Colm Murphy floating over a beauty.

George Lanham levelled matters in the fifth minute as he raided up from full back as the sides took their time in figuring the other out.

A sublime David Murphy score edged Port back into the lead but they were level again by the 10th minute with Sean Moore curling over a free from all of 35 metres.

Portarlington were starting to find their groove and two scores before the water break from the Murphy's - Colm and David left them 0-4 to 0-2 up at the first break.

Ballyfin got the dream start to the second quarter when corner back Jack Cleary rose highest in and around the house and flicked a long delivery to the net to stun the Port men.

Ballyfin now led by a point but there was a Portarlington onslaught coming. They went on to kick the next five scores, four in the space of four minutes with Colm and David Murphy once again to the fore with three out of the fore as they led 0-8 to 1-2 with 21 minutes on the clock.

An eight minute scoreless spell then ensued before Jake Foster tapped over an injury time free from close range to give the Portarlington men a 0-9 to 1-2 half time and in fairness, they deserved it.

Portarlington should have had the game put to bed within five minutes of the restart but Rioghan Murphy and David Murphy both spurned glorious goal chances. Ballyfin keeper Robert Foran saved brilliantly from the formers effort while David Murphy's effort sprung off the post and wide.

We had to wait 12 minutes for the opening score of the second half with Ronan Coffey playing a neat one-two with Colm Murphy before clipping over from 25 metres out to leave it 0-10 to 1-2.

After threatening for goals earlier in the half, Port finally found the net on 45 minutes. Rioghan Murphy's mis hit delivery into the full forward line wasn't dealt with by George Lanham and Colm Murphy got in behind before making no mistake from close range and finding the net.

Things for worse for Ballyfin just before the water break when James Finn was sent off for an off the ball incident as their stiff task got even greater.

The game was realistically over as a contest at this stage as Port took off some key players who were carrying injuries into the game with next Sunday's final in mind.

Colm Murphy and Jason Moore raised white flags and with five minutes to go, the gap was out to 10 points - 1-12 to 1-2 before the game petered out to a finish.

PORTARLINGTON

Scorers: Colm Murphy 1-5 (0-2 free), David Murphy 0-3 (0-1 mark), Jason Moore, Adam Ryan, Ronan Coffey and Jake Foster (free) 0-1 each.

Team: Scott Osborne; Diarmuid Bennett, Alex Mohan, Cathal Bennett; Stuart Mulpeter, Robbie Piggot, Jason Moore; Keith Bracken, Sean Byrne; Adam Ryan, Ronan Coffey, Rioghan Murphy; Jake Foster, David Murphy, Colm Murphy. Subs: Colin Slevin for Diarmuid Bennett (45), Jordan Fitzpatrick for Jake Foster (48), Stephen O'Neill for Ronan Coffey (52), Eoin McCann for Keith Bracken (56), Padraig Coffey for David Murphy (59)

BALLYFIN

Scorers: Jack Cleary 1-0, George Lanham and Sean Moore (free) 0-1 each.

Team: Robert Foran; David Connolly, George Lanham, Jack Cleary; Allan Connolly, Darragh Connolly, Ciaran Fingleton; Max Connolly, James Finn; Aidan Keenaghan, James Moore, Jack Priestley; Sean Moore, Nick Cosgrove, Ricky Quillinan. Subs: Adam Connolly for Max Connolly (39), Dan Molloy for Nick Cosgrove (48), Eanna Lyons for Aidan Keenaghan (57), Louis Duff for Jack Priestley (57), Ciaran Fennelly for Ciaran Fingleton (59)

Referee: John Flynn (The Rock)

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