Tight-marking defence gets credit for victory

ONE Portlaoise supporter started the trend of invading the pitch before throw-in, armed with the cockerel that was made famous down in O’Moore Park last month.

He was a little over-enthusiastic near the end too, as he decided to join proceedings before the ref blew his final whistle.

Not that it mattered too much, as he confined himself to the Crossmaglen goal-mouth and there was no action there for the final 15 minutes. Ian Fitzgerald and Colm Parkinson were feeling very isolated up there, as Cross searched, in vain, for an equaliser.

"I don't think we got a touch of the ball in the full-forward line for the last 15 minutes," Fitzgerald said amid loads of smiling Portlaoise faces. "All the play was concentrated down in our area. But our backs held on, they have been great for us all year. They don't concede much."

Before the game, all the hype surrounded the likes of Parkinson and Portlaoise's skilful, speedy attack.

However, in a tense second half, it was their defence that ensured the Leinster champions would be going to Croke Park on Paddy's Day.

"I wouldn't say the second half was the best game to watch, but that doesn't matter to us," Fitzgerald said. "But our defence didn't flinch. We had a tremendous amount of respect for Crossmaglen coming into this, and what they achieved.

"My fear is that we would have too much respect. We knew it was going to be tough and physical, we knew Cross were tight-marking. We just had to match them in that regard."

It has been 22 years since Portlaoise won the All-Ireland club title. Fitzgerald grew up hearing stories of that great side, with the likes of Colm Browne. Now, he is looking forward to the chance of emulating what they achieved.

"A lot of the players grew up, looking up to that team and what they achieved. And it is great just to be in a position to emulate them. But, the final is going to be tougher again. Each round, you go through, the games get tougher. There is always a tougher team."

Tommy Conroy felt it was critical that his side went in at the interval, ahead. "Yeah, it was important we were ahead at half-time," the manager said. "In a game like this, low-scoring, there was never going to much separating us and Cross.

"Even though one point wasn't much of an advantage at half-time, it gave us something of a platform to work with. I thought if we had went in behind at half-time, then the heads would drop a little. That battle out there was as much mental as physical."

The final ten minutes felt like an eternity for Conroy, as he watched Cross waste change after chance to equalise. Fortunately for Portlaoise, each chance went a begging.

"It was mad stuff altogether at the end. It looked like for a while if there was an inevitability of Crossmaglen grinding out another result, but fair play to our defence, they made it as difficult as possible for them."

The final brings Ballina, who are keen to atone for a final they lost six years ago.

"I haven't seen much of the Ballina team, but they have some great players on the Mayo side and they felt like they left it behind them a few years ago. So, it's another huge challenge."

Most of the Crossmaglen players have left before all of Portlaoise return to the dressing-room. Losing an All-Ireland semi-final is a new experience for Cathal Short, Cross' old war-horse full-forward, but he says his team only have themselves to blame.

"We had our chances to equalise, even win the game. You are not going to Croke Park on Paddy's Day if you miss as many chances as we did. Fair play to Portlaoise, they are a good team and deserve to be there."