Rathnure cope better

In years to come, the storytellers will summon precious few epic yarns of high drama and silken flourishes from the bones of this match, but it was nonetheless a worthy footnote in Rathnure's fabled history. Yesterday in Nowlan Park, they progressed through appalling weather and a young, committed Portlaoise squad to put themselves once more on the threshold of elusive All-Ireland glory.

Blitzed by the razor sharp Brian Bohan in the first period of the match, the Wexford team established a foothold on the match through a goal from the blue by Austin Codd after 23 minutes and stepped assertively out of danger thereafter, calmly putting the game beyond reach through a series of Paul Codd frees in the second half.

The Kilkenny ground made for no postcard paradise on this dismal December Sunday which threatened to reduce the sod to a morass, with sheeting rain hammering relentlessly in the first half and making the notion of actually participating in the occasion look distinctly unenviable.

Afterwards, players from both teams heaped complaint upon the spiteful elements, but it was Rathnure who coped better, generally looking tidier and proficient through an hour which provoked more fresh air swings than a drunken golf outing.

Indeed, the wonder was that both sides managed to maintain the standard of hurling they did, given that at one point in the first half a number of players looked in vain for the sliotar while Rathnure attacker Mark Morrissey industriously began to plough for it under a mound of earth.

Portlaoise started by switching the speedy John Taylor to full forward, and bringing the colossal John Gleeson out to the flanks. While the ploy had little effect on Rathnure's veteran full back John Conran, who was staunch as ever, the defence looked a little cagey initially.

Stephen Somers started quite loosely on Portlaoise's Brian Bohan, who was extremely enterprising with what ball spilled his way, kicking home a goal after nine minutes after one of those wild-limbed goal mouth jigs.

A minute later he added a 20 metre free and featured again as the match entered its second quarter, curling a fine score from the corner of the field to push Portlaoise into a 1-3 to 0-3 lead.

The Laois champions looked their most potent over the first quarter. But the sparkling ability across the Rathnure half-forward line and their midfield pairing of Michael Redmond and Michael O'Leary slowly drained the imagination out of Portlaoise's attack.

An early injury to Des Rigney further hindered Portlaoise's ability to break even at centre-field and although Brian Fitzpatrick threw in his lot with enthusiasm, Rathnure fed steadily off a gushing flow of decent ball.

Martin Byrne, positively fleet footed in the early exchanges, whipped over Rathnure's first point and although Portlaoise then hit 1-2 without reply, Austin Codd and Michael O'Leary initiated a steady revival after they engineered a pair of fine points from near centre-field after 20 minutes.

Those scores left matters at 0-5 to 1-3 and then came Rathnure's goal; Morrisey pulled quickly on a loose ball and sent Austin Codd clear and although he almost got his hurl entangled in his jersey, he flicked his shot past Portlaoise's Danny Browne.

And the narrative remained loyal to the predictable after that. Portlaoise possibly sagged a little, Rathnure steamed over a few timely scores - including a gem from Rod Guiney who skipped through a rush of skidding, flailing challenges to strike a wonderfully crisp point on 26 minutes.

Rathnure entered the break 1-7 to 1-4 to the good and although Niall Rigney briefly pulled Portlaoise to within a couple after the break, they lost their grasp on contention as Paul Codd gave a free-taking clinic, punishing indiscretions from all over the park and nailing five second half frees.

Portlaoise, for their part, managed just one other score after Rigney's 32nd minute free, this another dead-ball score from Bohan.

Niall Rigney, however, was magnificent even as Portlaoise started back-pedalling, doing much to nullify the lively Martin Byrne and unflinching at the core of a beleaguered defensive unit.

Also outstanding on a treacherous day was goalkeeper Danny Browne, composed under a series of plummeting balls and deflecting Brendan O'Leary's late rasping shot even as the Rathnure colours were being tied to the Cup.

Portlaoise: D Browne; B Murphy, C Duggan, E Murphy; D Killeen, Niall Rigney (0- 1, free), R Scully; T Bergin, D Rigney; J Phelan, E Fennelly, T Mulligan (0-1), B Bohan (1-3, 2 frees), J Taylor, J Gleeson. Subs: B Fitzpat- rick (0-1) for D Rigney (25 mins); D Killeen for B Kerins (47 mins); Noel Rigney for J Gleeson (54 mins).

Rathnure: J Morrissey; S Somers, J Conran, D Guiney; L Somers, J Mooney, R Guiney (0-1); M Redmond (0-1), M O'Leary (0-2), A Codd (1-1), M Byrne (0-2), P Codd (0-5, all frees); M Morrissey, C Byrne (0-1), B O'Leary.

Referee: P Horan (Offaly).