Holders Portlaoise survive Emo scare

Portlaoise got a mighty scare from Emo yesterday before reaching the quarter-finals of the Laois SFC.

Two goals from the evergreen Bruno McCormack in the first-half seemed to have Portlaoise on course for victory but the sending off of Paul Cahillane after 20 minutes gave Emo a new lease of life and they came from six points down to draw level in the second-half. However their challenge came up just short as Portlaoise’s experience got them over the line and keeps them on course for an eighth title in a row.

The defending champions will be joined in the quarter-finals by Arles Killeen, who, with Donie Kingston again impressing, saw off the challenge of The Heath by 1-14 to 1-8.

Graiguecullen left it very late to beat Mountmellick, scoring an unanswered 1-4 in the last five minutes to secure a 1-10 to 0-10 win. The crucial goal came from the penalty spot from Mark Doogue with two minutes remaining.

In the final game of the weekend in the first round winners’ side of the draw, O’Dempsey’s held off a late comeback from Ballylinan to seal their place straight into the quarter-finals.

Arles Kilcruise, Stradbally and St Joseph’s have been consigned to the relegation play-off with two of the teams set to drop down.

St Joseph’s led by six points with seven minutes to go but they were undone by Killeshin, who finished strongly with Eoin Lowy and Cathal Brennan getting the crucial scores.

After holding Portarlington scoreless in the first half, Arles-Kilcruise only managed three points in the second-half while Portarlington hit 11 to come through in dramatic fashion.

Stradbally were highly fancied against Ballyroan Abbey, but it was the underdogs who came through, with MJ Tierney the star of the show.