Portlaoise 1-13 Arles-Kilcruise 0-9:AS EXPECTED Arles-Kilcruise failed to halt the Portlaoise juggernaut in the Laois football final played before a small attendance in O'Moore Park, Portlaoise yesterday. This was the third meeting of the sides in three of the last four finals and the losers were appearing in their fourth decider and once again failed to find the net.
Portlaoise were seeking their 29th championship title and they never looked in danger of losing this particular sequence of successes that started in 2007.
Conor Boyle and David Conway exchanged early points before a defensive mix-up allowed Portlaoise full forward Brian McCormack score his side’s only goal and that more or less ended the game as contest. Portlaoise added points from Paul Cahillane, Barry Fitzgerald before Chris Conway and Kevin Meaney replied with a brace and at half time the champions led 1-7 to 0-5.
Arles-Kilcruise never gave up but they simply could make no inroads into a solid Portlaoise defence in which Brian Mulligan, Cahir Healy and Conor Boyle stood out. In the entire game the champions’ keeper Michael Nolan was never tested but just before half-time his opposite number Jim McDonald twice denied Paul Cahillane certain goals.
The second 30 minutes were dominated by Portlaoise who took complete control and by the time Arles scored the champions had added three points.
They added another three while the losers were completely dependent on Ross Munnelly who completed their total with three further points. Brian Mulligan the Portlaoise captain was named the man of the match. The Laois champions now await the winners of next Sunday’s first round clash between Eire Óg, Carlow and the Wicklow champions St Patrick’s in the Leinster quarter-final.
PORTLAOISE: M Nolan; T Fitzgerald (0-1), B Mulligan, C Healy; P Cotter, K Lillis, C Boyle (0-2); A Kelly, H Coghlan; C Rogers (0-1), B Fitzgerald (0-1), B Glynn (0-1); P Cahillane (0-4), B McCormack (1-1), B Smyth (0-2). Subs: K Fitzpatrick for C Boyle, S Nerney for A Kelly, B Gaynor for B Glynn, L McGovern for B McCormack.
ARLES-KILCRUISE: J McDonald; M OShea, P Conway, R Stynes; JP Conway, C Munnelly, A McElroy; S Miller, K Meaney (0-1); R Munnelly (0-5), C Conway (0-1), J Conway; D Carroll, D Conway (0-1), E Stynes (0-1). Subs: F Egan for A McElroy, A McLoughlin for S Miller, B Conway for E Stynes.
Referee: Joe Brennan (Crettyard).
Leinster Club Football Championship
First Round (Oct 28th) – St Patrick’s (Wicklow) v Éire Óg (Carlow), Aughrim; Killoe Young Emmets (Longford) v St Anne’s (Wexford), Longford; Rhode (Offaly) v St Patrick’s (Louth), Tullamore.
Quarter-finals (Nov 11th) – Mullingar Shamrocks/ Garrycastle (Westmeath) v Kilmacud//Ballymun (Dublin), Mullingar; St Patrick’s (Wicklow)/Éire Óg v Portlaoise (Laois); Killoe Young Emmets/St Anne’s v Wolfe Tones/O’Mahony’s (Meath); Rhode/St Patrick’s (Louth) v Sarsfields (Kildare).
Semi-finals (Nov 25th) – St Pat’s (Wicklow)/Éire Óg/Portlaoise v Killoe Young Emmets/St Anne’s (Wexford)/ Wolfe Tone/O Mahony’s; Rhode/St Pat’s (Louth)/Sarsfields v Westmeath/Dublin club. Final – Dec 9th.
