Powerful Portlaoise cruise past Kilmacud

Leinster Club SFC

The fact that they did so emphatically was due as much to their second-half dominance as to the relative weakness of the challenge from Dublin champions Kilmacud Crokes.

It was a day when the bigger names on the Portlaoise side delivered and it proved crucial. Portlaoise made the better start, gaining the lead straight from the throw-in. That score came from midfielder Enda Coleman, who was prominent in the early stages when county star Colm Parkinson was also seen to good effect. Interestingly, however, the Kilmacud backs looked comfortable enough under early pressure and in time they were to exert a strong influence. At the other end Ray Cosgrove (unable to start because of a hamstring problem) was missed, while Portlaoise had to start without Kevin Fitzpatrick.

Scores were tied at 0-2 each after nine minutes before wing-back Declan Kelleher put Kilmacud in front for the first time. And, in another ten minutes they enjoyed a three points advantage, largely due to the fact that they took over at half-back, where Dublin players Paul Griffin and Liam Óg Ó hEinéacháin were heavily involved. Johnny Magee’s strong play at midfield complemented that advantage and the good work was carried on by the half-forwards.

Nevertheless, they didn’t make the best use of their possession in attack and, benefiting from solid defending in the full-back line, Portlaoise started to claw their way back. Wing-forward Craig Rogers was a tireless worker on the left flank and while he was closely marked, Parkinson remained a constant threat. In contrast, former Laois captain Ian Fitzgerald wasn’t contributing very much. But, he was to thunder into the game in the closing period of the half when he kicked four points in a five-minute period.

His first three had the teams level for the third and last time in the 24th minute and he put them in back in the lead with his next score. By now Portlaoise were rampant, benefiting from a number of switches and an injury-time point from the impressive Peter McNulty had them ahead 0-7 to 0-5 at the break.

On the resumption, Portlaoise hit three wides before Niall Corkery boosted Kilmacud with a 35th minute point. But it was a case of flattering to deceive. After that, they were to be confined to one score in the 52nd minute and another near the end of injury-time. By then, Cosgrove had come into the attack, but was powerless to anything to change the course of the game.

That was largely dictated by the dependability of the Portlaoise defence, a strengthening midfield - aided by the introduction of county star Fitzpatrick - and by the huge influence of Parkinson in the half-forward line. Nine minutes into the second-half Barry Fitzgerald produced the first score from a free and that came after the Laois champions twice came near to putting the ball in the net, through Fitzgerald and Craig Rodgers.

McNulty was very effective in the corner, Ian Fitzgerald continued to contribute significantly and overall, the Portlaoise attack looked a much more potent force. On the other hand, Kilmacud struggled to put any decent attacking moves together - Fermanagh player Liam McBarron was surprisingly ineffective and was withdrawn - and in reality they were going nowhere.

Midway through the half Portlaoise were denied a goal when wing-forward Brian McCormack (set up by Parkinson) hit a powerful shot off the crossbar. However, it mattered little because they were so much in control. And, with Kilmacud having corner-forward Mark Vaughan red-carded (after an earlier yellow) for a striking offence, they drove home their advantage with some very good scores. At the end, it was all too easy for them, but one suspects that the final will be a very different matter, especially if as seems certain Ian Fitzgerald will be an absentee.

Scorers: Portlaoise:P. McNulty 0-5 (0-3 frees); I. Fitzgerald 0-4; C. Parkinson 0-2; K. Fitzpatrick (free), E. Coleman and B. Fitzgerald (free), 0-1 each. Kilmacud Crokes: L. Óg Ó hÉíneacháin 0-2; P. Griffin, N. Corkery, D. Kelleher, M. O’Keeffe, F. Armstrong and M. Vaughan 0-1 each.

PORTLAOISE: M. Nolan; T. Fitzgerald, C. Byrne, E. Bland; B. Mulligan, C. Healy, A. Fennelly; M. Delaney, E. Coleman; B. McCormack, P. McNulty, C. Rogers; I. Fitzgerald, C. Parkinson, B. Fitzgerald. Sub: K. Fitzpatrick for B. Fitzgerald (injured, 42nd minute).

KILMACUD CROKES: D. Nelligan; F. Kennedy, C. Flanagan, C. Kelleher; P. Griffin, L. Óg Ó hÉíneacháin, B. McGrath; J. Magee, C. Murphy; D. Kelleher, N. Corkery, L. McBarron; M. O’Keeffe, F. Armstrong, M. Vaughan. Subs: R. Cosgrove for O’Keeffe (43rd); N. McGrath for McBarron (50th); K. O’Carroll for Magee (55th).

Referee: M. Monahan (Kildare).