Portarlington and Stradbally will have to do it all again to decide the destination of the Jack Delaney Cup at Portlaoise. Yesterday, in appalling conditions they finished all square after a very entertaining Laois Senior Football championship final.
Portarlington got off to a dream start with a goal from Kevin McCann after a minute, but a Padraic Langton goal had the sides level after 12 minutes.
Portarlington led 1-4 to 1-3 at the interval but on the changeover a Damien Delaney point had the side's level and swapped points left them tied 1-5 each. Stradbally now produced their best football and points from Tom Bowe had them ahead 1-7 to 1-5 at the end of the third quarter.
David Sweeney and Tony Maher exchanged points and with nine minutes left, Stradbally still lead by two points. However, two points by Kevin McCann in the 52nd and 56th minutes left the sides all square with the replay scheduled for Sunday next.
STRADBALLY: B Delaney; P Begley, E Delaney, D Larkin; J Kavanagh, D Delaney 0-2, B Kelly; D McEvoy 0-1, J Larkin; G Ramsbottom 0-2, T Maher 0-2, P Langton 1-0; G Kavanagh, T Bowe 0-1, B Larkin. Subs: D Dunne for J Kavanagh, J Donohoe for B Larkin, C Kelly for P Langton
PORTARLINGTON: I O'Neill; A Bracken, A Phelan, P O'Dwyer, J McGowan, D Ryan 0-1, K Hoey, B McCann, J Bolton, C Bennett, D Sweeney 0-2, G Burke 0-1, K McCann 1-2, H Emerson, 0-1, P Maher 0-1. Subs: D O'Connor for C Bennett, P Turley for G Burke.
Referee: E Whelan, Killeshin.
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