Portarlington, recent winners of their 10th Laois SF title, yesterday won their first game in the provincial club championships. Having failed twice previously, they looked like making it a hat-trick when they trailed with time running out. However, a dramatic late goal gave them a place in the next round.
Played in ideal conditions at Portarlington, the visitors led 0-3 to no score after 10 minutes. A point from Graham Burke opened the home side's account after 15 minutes but 10 minutes before the interval a brilliant goal by full forward Padraig Davis put the Longford champions ahead 1-4 to 0-2. In the final 10 minutes the home side played some good football and two points from Dermot O'Connor and another from Hugh Emerson left them trailing just two points at the interval, 0-5 to 1-4.
On the changeover, David Hannify stretched the visitors' lead again before Colm Bennett got two back for the home side and with a quarter remaining only a point separated the sides. Five minutes later Colm Bennett levelled the game for the first time but two brilliant points from Davis put the visitors ahead by two points again and they looked on their way to the quarter-finals.
But a great passing movement involving Hugh Emerson and Dave Sweeney saw right half forward, Graham Burke punched a dramatic late goal.
PORTARLINGTON: I O'Neill; A Bracken, D Ryan, P O'Dwyer; J McGowan, B Ryan, K Hoey; D O'Connor (0-2), J Bolton; C Bennett (0-3), D Sweeney (0-1), G Bourke (1-1), K McCann, H Emerson (0-1), P Maher (0-1), Sub: R Bennett for K McCann.
FATHER MANNING GAELS: E Crowe; P McWade, G Brady, D McLoughlin; M Mulleady, S Gallagher, P McCormack; C Hannify, D Hannify (0-2); P Brady, F McNamee, J Kane; D Gallagher, P Davis (1-6), M Mulleady. Sub: F Lennon for P McCormack.
Referee: Seamus Doyle (Wexford).
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