Colm Murphy eyeing Christmas cracker at Croke Park as Portarlington set sights on Leinster

Colm Murphy. Picture: INPHO/James Crombie

Portarlington attacker Colm Murphy would love to sign off on an incredible year with a Christmas party at Croke Park.

The Laois forward struck 2-2 on Sunday as Portarlington hammered Portlaoise to retain the county title — exactly 13 weeks after winning the delayed 2020 final.

That breakthrough win back in mid-August was the club’s first in 20 years and they retained it in style with not a single goal conceded in the 2021 campaign.

Portarlington breezed through the latest championship with 43 points to spare and have been installed as second favourites for the AIB Leinster club title behind whoever comes out of Dublin.

The back to back Laois champions will play the Westmeath representatives on December 5 and the winners of that will qualify for a novel Croke Park double header of semi-finals on Saturday, December 18.

“People have been saying to us for the last few weeks that you could give Leinster a real shot,” said Murphy. “We’d been blocking that out, going one game at a time, but we can finally dream about it now. This is where everybody wants to play and if we get over the next game then we play in Croke Park so it’s a dream for everyone.”

A county official handing over the cup on Sunday told Portarlington they have a great chance of going far in Leinster.

Portlaoise, who they hammered 4-9 to 0-6, are joint top of the provincial roll of honour with seven provincial titles. “It’s huge to be involved in Leinster, sure how often does this come around?” said Murphy.

“We went 20 years without winning a Laois title, we could go another 20 years again. We’ll enjoy this week and then we’re back playing in three weeks’ time so we’ll get back to the drawing board to play the Westmeath champions.”

Murphy is joined by Port’ colleagues Robbie Pigott, Sean Byrne and Sunday’s man of the match Patrick O’Sullivan on the Laois panel.

He reckons Cathal Bennett and Alex Mohan have a shout now too after taking their defensive performances to new levels this year.

“The backs give us nightmares in training. They’re so disciplined and Martin Murphy has brought in that system as manager that we’re just very difficult to break down.

We usually go four up front even when defending but with the threat Portlaoise had on Sunday we went with three. That still allows you to break in numbers.”