Supreme second half sees The Harps defeat Portlaoise in 2020 Premier Intermediate Final

2020 Premier Intermediate Hurling Final

The Harps are 2020 Premier Intermediate champions after they gained revenge on Portlaoise, who they lost to a couple of years ago in this final. The first half was a tight affair, but The Harps silky forwards showed off their stuff in the second half to match towards victory.

The Harps 1-18

Portlaoise 2-12

The Harps were first on the scoreboard in O’Moore Park, with Laois U-20 star James Duggan landing over a nice score from out near the sideline. Portlaoise replied through an Aaron Bergin 65’, but The Harps hit the front again shortly after.

Michael Lanigan capitalised on a poor Portlaoise puck-out and had no hesitation in firing over. Lanigan grabbed another score minutes later, this time a beauty from way out the field.

Portlaoise responded well though. Full-forward Cathal Duggan pointed a peach of a score, before Cahir Healy quickly levelled proceedings. Healy was instrumental in Portlaoise’s attack in the first half at centre-forward, and he set up another for Cian Taylor after a nice little flick.

The sides exchanged scores before the first water break was whistled for by referee John Lalor. Lanigan placed over another free, and while Aaron Bergin did the same for Portlaoise down the other end, James Duggan levelled it for The Harps.

Portlaoise’s Cormac Rigney and The Harps’ Eoin Clancy swapped scores after the water break, before Lanigan landed an absolutely superb score from out near the sideline.

The first goal of the game arrived after that though, and it went the way of ‘The Town’. Cahir Healy again caused the Harps defence problems, as he won the breaking ball before spotting Aaron Bergin inside. The Harps goalkeeper Peter Walsh attempted to intercept the pass, but just missed it and Bergin tapped home.

Cian Taylor knocked over his second score for Portlaoise, before The Harps finished the half with two much needed scores. Ciaran Comerford and Lanigan (free) fired over the points, as they trailed only by the minimum at the interval.

Aaron Bergin slotted over a free upon the resumption of play, but The Harps stepped it up a few gears after that. Lanigan landed two points from frees, and then The Harps grabbed a crucial goal.

Ciaran Comerford was brought down just inside the square as he was going to pull the trigger. Lanigan stepped up, and the Harps main man was never going to miss, as he buried it into the bottom right corner.

The Harps had all the momentum now, with Padrag Delaney and Lanigan (free) raising further white flags for them. Bergin stopped the rot for Portlaoise with another free, but The Harps kicked on again as we entered the final ten minutes of normal time. 

Eoin Clancy, Lanigan (free), Ciaran Comerford and James Duggan all split the posts for the Harps, as their forward line came alive after a quiet start to the game. 

Portlaoise were trailing by eight points now, but they did make a late effort at a comeback. Points from Cian Taylor, Sean Culleton and Keith Murphy we’re followed by a second goal.

A long ball was sent into the square by Aaron Bergin, and the sliotar was bundled into the back of the net by Cormac Rigney. However, they didn’t have time to get another goal that would have sent this one to extra-time, and The Harps celebrated success.

THE HARPS

Scorers: Michael Lanigan 1-9 (1-0 pen, 0-6 frees), James Duggan 0-4, Ciaran Comerford and Eoin Clancy 0-2 each, Padraig Delaney 0-1

Team: Peter Walsh; Padraig Dunne, Gavin Dunne, David Doheny; Conor Dunne, Padraig Delaney, Fionn Whelan; Ciaran Burke, Barry Dunne; John Brophy, Eoin Clancy, Michael Lanigan; James Duggan, Ciaran Comerford, Pat Walsh. Subs: Eoghan Doheny for Whelan (HT), Daniel Comerford for Burke (32 mins, inj), Aaron Grady for B Dunne (61 mins), Evan Deegan for Clancy (64 mins)

PORTLAOISE

Scorers: Aaron Bergin 1-4 (0-3 frees, 0-1 65’), Cormac Rigney 1-1, Cian Taylor 0-3, Cathal Duggan, Keith Murphy, Sean Culleton and Cahir Healy 0-1 each

Team: Eoghan Nealon; Patrick Norton, Frank Flanagan, Dean Lynch; Ross Brennan, Ciaran McEvoy, Eoin O’Connor; Cahir Healy, Gary Bergin; David O’Mahony, Aaron Bergin, Cormac Rigney; Eddie Critchley, Cathal Duggan, Cian Taylor. Subs: Niall Gleeson for G Bergin (44 mins), Ben Brennan for O’Mahony (44 mins), Tommy Fitzgerald for Critchley (45 mins), Keith Murphy for Flanagan (49 mins), Sean Culleton for Taylor (58 mins), 

 REFEREE: John Lalor (Shanahoe)

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