Impressive Athy enjoy Leinster cruise

Wicklow champions Baltinglass had home advantage in Aughrim but Athy still won at their ease.

James McGrath of Athy in action against Connor Doody of Baltinglass during the AIB Leinster GAA Football Senior Club Championship round 1 match between Baltinglass and Athy at Echelon Park in Aughrim, Wicklow. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

With Philly McMahon in charge of Naas, the expectation was that they would collect a fifth Kildare SFC title and push hard then in the province.

Athy intervened for a surprise county final win, however, and are now kicking on in Leinster just as many thought Naas might.

Powered by Kildare captain Kevin Feely, who struck 0-2, and Tailteann Cup All-Star James McGrath, who struck a trademark goal, Athy cruised past Baltinglass 3-16 to 0-10.

The Wicklow champions had home advantage in Aughrim but Athy still won at their ease, building on a 1-7 to 0-6 half-time lead to win with 15 points to spare.

Ronan Kelly top scored with 2-2 for the eight-times Kildare champions who will return to Newbridge next Saturday week (5.15pm) to take on Meath's Summerhill under lights.

Baltinglass had the significant wind behind them in the first-half and the underdogs probably needed to turn several points to the good at half-time.

Johnny Keogh did strike a terrific two-pointer in the opening quarter for Baltinglass but a series of wides cost them.

Kelly followed up on Wicklow goalkeeper Mark Jackson's strong save to register Athy's first goal and county man Niall Kelly added a two-pointer.

Team skipper and Kildare centre back David Hyland, partnering Feely at midfield, launched over another two-pointer after the restart.

Ronan Kelly's second goal was followed by a typical McGrath major when the half-back burst forward to convert Athy's third goal.

Portarlington won on the road too, on Saturday evening, beating Carlow's Old Leighlin 1-12 to 0-6.

Port', shocked by Tinahely in Round 1 last year, but semi-finalists in 2021 and 2022, led 0-9 to 0-3 at half-time at Netwatch Cullen Park.

They got the margin out to eight points after the restart before losing captain Ronan Coffey to a black card.

Old Leighlin capitalised on the extra man, outscoring Port' by 0-3 to 0-0 in this period, but Rioghan Murphy's stoppage time goal for the visitors sealed it.

Portarlington were without county final starters Jake Foster and Sean Byrne who have returned to Australia and manager Pat Roe said afterwards that defender Robbie Pigott is departing too.

"That makes the hill a bit harder to climb," said Roe whose side will face Louth's Naomh Mairtin in a November 16 quarter-final in Ardee. "We'll work on the basis that we still have a team that's capable of winning a quarter-final."