Portlaoise march on after dour encounter

PORTLAOISE’S pursuit of a record five Laois SFC titles in-a-row cleared its latest hurdle at the weekend, as they saw off rivals Arles-Kilcruise by three points on Saturday night to book a semi-final place.

In a niggly affair, a fraca between both management teams on the sideline just before half-time was the main talking point.

Portlaoise led by 0-4 to 0-2 after that scrappy first-half, but a goal in the second-half from Tipperary footballer Hugh Coghlan spurred Portlaoise on, and that score would prove crucial as they claimed a 1-9 to 0-9 victory.

In the other game, Graiguecullen advanced to the last four after a 2-9 to 1-9 win over O’Dempsey’s. A James Bolton goal in the first half gave them the advantage, with Daryl Hayden adding another in the second half. Peter O’Leary hit back for O’Dempsey’s, but it was only a consolation.

On Friday night, Stradbally and Ballylinan played out a dour 0-5 to 0-5 draw. In the last of the quarter-finals, Arles-Killeen saw off 14 man St Joseph’s by 0-11 to 0-9.

In the two SHC quarter-final replays, Rathdowney-Errill were dethroned as champions following a 1-14 to 0-11 defeat at the hands of The Harps. The Durrow-based side led by six at the break, 1-9 to 0-6, thanks to a Pat Walsh goal, and with Rathdowney-Errill having a goal disallowed late in the second half, The Harps held on.

They will now face Clough-Ballacolla in the semi-final, after they overcame Castletown-Slieve Bloom by 2-10 to 0-7, with Willie Hyland scoring 2-6 of the Ballacolla total.