Portarlington end 20 year famine with massive display to win 2020 Laois senior football title

2020 Laois Senior Football Final

PORTARLINGTON 1-15

GRAIGUECULLEN 0-7

Portarlington claimed their first Laois senior football title since 2001 after they swept aside Graiguecullen to lay claim to the delayed 2020 senior football title.

They dominated the game from start to finish, kept Graiguecullen to just one point from play and displayed a fluent and highly effective attacking model.

Stuart Mulpeter's goal pretty much put the game beyond doubt in the 44th minute but they closed out the game well and made sure there was no miraculous comeback from the Graigue men.

Danny Bolger opened the scoring in the fourth minute as the Graigue keeper slotted over a perfectly judged free but less than  a minute later, Port were off the mark with Colm Murphy getting an early free to to ease him into the game.

It was tight and ferocious in the early stages but Port weren't long before making making an impact in the game.

Ronan Coffey kicked them into the lead in the sixth minute and with Graigue corner back Bobby Doyle sent to the sin bin after six minutes, Port began to make hay.

Jake Foster with a mark and a superb point from play kicked them two in front and by the first water break, the gap was out to four with David Murphy finishing off a fine team move and Jason Moore raiding up from wing back to kick one with the outside of the boot.

Doyle came back onto the field of play on 16 minutes but by that stage they were 0-6 to 0-2 down with Port looking lively and confident moving forward.

Port kept the hammer down after the water break and Colm Murphy added another free and a superb mark after fetching a long ball in around the house. The Port forward movement and direction was proving far superior to the more laboured and lateral Graiguecullen attack.

Adam Ryan became the fifth Port forward on the scoresheet on 26 minutes as they opened up a 0-9 to 0-2 lead. They did have the wind but it was more their style of play and conviction that put them in that comfortable position.

Graiguecullen went 19 minutes without a score before Ross Hennessy clipped over a free on 29 minutes as the Port defence had their number.

Colm Murphy quickly cancelled out that with a free of his own at the other end as the Port men went in 0-10 to 0-3 up at the break with Graiguecullen failing to score from open play in the opening 30 minutes.

Points from Jake Foster and Rioghan Murphy got Port off to the perfect start in the second half and while Graigue were had more direction in attack in the second half, they spurned early second half chances.

Ross Hennessy did add a free but they were hit by a sucker punch on 44 minutes when a ball in that wasn't dealt with by the Graiguecullen defence fell into the direction of Stuart Mulpeter and the wing back made no mistake finding the net.

They could have had another before the water break but Rioghan Murphy's shot was deflected over the bar by Graigue keeper Danny Bolger.

Port led 1-13 to 0-5 when the water break was called and the writing was on the wall for Graiguecullen after Mulpeter found the net.

Danny Bolger and Brian Byrne added frees for Graiguecullen but they were only consolation scores at that stage as Port managed the last quarter well knowing they had one hand on the cup.

Colm Murphy ended a 15 minute scoreless spell for Port with a point on 60 minutes before brother David capped off the afternoon with a fine score to make it an 11 point win in the end.

PORTARLINGTON

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

Team: Scott Osborne; Cathal Bennett, Diarmuid Bennett, Alex Mohan; Stuart Mulpeter, Robert Piggot, Jason Moore; Keith Bracken, Sean Byrne; Adam Ryan, Ronan Coffey, Rioghan Murphy; Jake Foster, David Murphy, Colm Murphy. Subs: Colin Slevin for Ronan Coffey (57), Jordan Fitzpatrick for Jake Foster (58), Eoin McCann for Keith Bracken (59), Cathal Ryan for Adam Ryan (60), Patrick O'Sullivan for David Murphy (60)

GRAIGUECULLEN

Scorers: Ross Hennessy 0-3 (0-2 frees and 0-1 mark), Danny Bolger 0-2 frees, Mark Timmons and Brian Byrne (free) 0-1 each.

Team: Danny Bolger; Bobby Doyle, Mark Timmons, Martin Doyle; Luke Alsybury, Trevor Collins, Danny Alsybury; Shane O'Neill, Michael Hand; Danny O'Reilly, Chris Hurley, Brian Byrne; Ross Hennessy, Jamie Sheehan, Ross Alcock. Subs: Paul Mulready for Bobby Doyle (ht), Ambrose Doran for Michael Hand (42), Luke Hand for Chris Hurley (44), James Doogue for Ross Hennessy (53)

Referee: Seamus Mulhare (The Heath)

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