Rigney comes off the bench to help Portlaoise get the better of Ballyfin

Portlaoise and Ballyfin met in the Senior football championship last season in a hotly contested affair, but this time it was their hurling counterparts who faced off with one another in the Premier Intermediate quarter-final.

Ballyfin would have been slight favourites if you went by the form book from the group stages. However, Portlaoise have a knack of coming good in the knockout stages, and they did so again.

Portlaoise 2-12

Ballyfin 1-14

While Ballyfin grabbed the first score through Eamon Duff (free), Portlaoise struck back with a goal to get raise the atmosphere several decibels inside O’Moore Park.

Corner-forward James Conroy crashed the net for Portlaoise from close-range to get ‘The Town’ off to a sublime start. Ballyfin replied through their big full-forward, Eanna Lyons, as he placed over a point.

The experienced David O’Mahoney grabbed Portlaoise’s opening point of the match. Ballyfin responded well to that early setback though, as they rattled off 1-2 to take the lead here.

Eanna Lyons and Darragh Connolly raised a white flag each before they grabbed a goal themselves. Eamon Duff’s effort from a placed ball dropped short, with Gareth Dunphy alive inside to flick home.

Cian Dowling Byrne, who was tremendous in Portlaoise’s victory over Trumera the last day, opened his account here with a nice score from play. Ballyfin replied again with the next two points though.

Eamon Duff slotted over a free, and then David Connolly placed over another point from play for Ballyfin. For the remainder of the half, the two teams went score for score as the match slowed down in tempo somewhat.

Cian Taylor and Gareth Dunphy exchanged points, before youngsters Ben Brennan and Allan Connolly also swapped scores. Portlaoise managed to grab the final score of the half, with Sean Culleton converting a free from close-range.

Ballyfin held a 1-8 to 1-5 lead at the interval in O’Moore Park, but they should have been further in front truthfully. They registered some sloppy wides, with their free-taker Eamonn Duff not in his usual accurate form.

Portlaoise began to eat into that lead at the beginning stages of the second half. Cormac Rigney, who had made his return against Trumera the last day after a summer abroad, came off the bench for Portlaoise at half-time.

Rigney had a huge impact for ‘The Town’. He placed over a free from distance with his first touch at the start of the second half, and then Cian Taylor tacked on another from play.

Teenager Conor Brown also came off the bench for Portlaoise at half-time. He looked dangerous in at corner-forward, as he had several goal chances blocked down and saved in this second half.

While Eamon Duff (free) and Gareth Dunphy pointed for Ballyfin to settle them down, Portlaoise were beginning to dominate proceedings. They would rattle off the next 2-4 without reply to take control here.

James Conroy and Cian Taylor placed over points from play, while Cormac Rigney continued his accuracy from placed balls. Rigney converted a 65’ and a free for Portlaoise.

Then they scored their second goal. It was a fortuitous one in truth, as Rigney’s free this time dropped just in over the Ballyfin defenders on the line.

James Finn ended Ballyfin’s drought with a massive, trademark score from out near the centre field. However, Rigney kept Portlaoise four clear with ten minutes remaining thanks to another point from a free.

Ballyfin put the pressure on Portlaoise in the final ten minutes or so, as they went in search of at least salvaging a draw and possibly extra-time. Duff landed a placed ball between the posts to leave just the goal between the teams.

Ballyfin almost had the sliotar in the back of the net, but substitute JJ McHugh’s effort just drifted to the left and wide of the Portlaoise post. Ciaran Culleton cut the gap back to two points though thanks to an effort from play.

Ballyfin were awarded a free close to goal in the first minute of injury-time. Eanna Lyons stepped up and drove his shot just over the bar though.

Portlaoise’s defence came to the fore in the last few seconds, as Ciaran McEvoy made a massive clearance to assure themselves of a spot in the last four.

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*See Tuesday's Leinster Express for full coverage

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Scorers: CXX

Team: JXX

REFEREE: PXX