Portarlington begin three-in-a-row Laois SFC bid with comfortable win over The Heath

Portarlington made the perfect start to their bid for a third consecutive Laois Shopping Centre Senior Football Championship title as they comfortably accounted for The Heath in the final Round 1 fixture at Laois Hire O'Moore Park on Saturday evening.

While it lacked the drama of a Laois SFC game, Portarlington eventually flexed their muscles with a dominant second-quarter spell that effectively settled the outcome long before the final whistle.

The champions were slow to find their rhythm and squandered three early opportunities, registering two wides and failing to convert a half-goal chance before finally opening the scoring after seven minutes through Ronan Coffey.

It took another six minutes for the next score to arrive, with Colm Murphy doubling Portarlington's advantage. The Heath eventually got off the mark in the 17th minute when James Phelan landed an excellent two-point effort to bring the sides level.

That score seemed to spark Portarlington into life and they completely took over the contest, reeling off 2-6 without reply in a devastating ten-minute spell.

Curtis Lyons got the run started before Colm and Rioghan Murphy combined brilliantly for the opening goal, with Colm applying the finish after an incisive attacking move.

Rioghan Murphy then punished The Heath immediately from the resulting kick-out, bursting through to fire Portarlington's second goal in quick succession.

Further scores from Darragh Slevin, Sean Michael Corcoran, who struck twice, Sean Moran and another Colm Murphy point stretched the lead to 2-8 to 0-2 by the 26th minute as the holders threatened to run riot.

Conor Booth stopped the rot with a converted free for The Heath before Murphy added to his personal tally with another point. Neil Keane and Eoin McCann exchanged scores before Paddy Fitzpatrick curled over a superb two-pointer to leave Portarlington 2-10 to 0-6 ahead at the interval.

Sean Michael Corcoran opened the second half with a two-point free before Rioghan Murphy added another point as Portarlington continued to dictate proceedings. Booth responded with a free for The Heath, but Colm Murphy restored the advantage from another placed ball after the champions were awarded a free when their opponents failed to return possession.

Brian Ging and Corcoran traded points before Fitzpatrick curled over his second two-pointer of the evening to briefly lift The Heath. Portarlington had the opportunity to put the icing on the cake when Rioghan Murphy won a penalty, but Curtis Lyons’ shot went over the bar,

Substitute Jordan Fitzpatrick added an orange flag late on before Ging rounded off the scoring with his second point of the contest.

It mattered little to the outcome as Portarlington eased to a deserved 13-point victory and will now turn their attention to a Round 2 meeting with Stradbally, while The Heath must regroup ahead of their clash with Clonaslee St Manman's.

FINAL SCORE

Portarlington 2-18

The Heath 0-11

SCORERS- Portarlington: Colm Murphy 1-4 (0-1 free), Sean Michael Corcoran 0-5 (one two-point free, 0-1 free), Rioghan Murphy 1-1, Curtis Lyons (0-1 penalty) and Jordan Fitzpatrick 0-2 each, Sean Moran, Darragh Slevin, Sean Moran and Eoin McCann 0-1 each. The Heath: Paddy Fitzpatrick 0-4 (two two-pointers), James Phelan (two-pointer), Brian Ging and Conor Booth (frees) 0-2 each, Neil Keane 0-1.

PORTARLINGTON: Luke O’Reilly; Alex Mohan, Tom Corcoran, Cathal Bennett; Hugh Connolly, Robbie Piggott, Curtis Lyons; Hugo Emerson, Eoin McCann; Rioghan Murphy, Sean Michael Corcoran, Darragh Slevin; Colm Murphy, Ronan Coffey, Sean Moran. Subs: Jordan Fitzpatrick for Moran (42 mins), Keith Bracken for Emerson (48 mins), Sean Byrne for C Murphy (56 mins)

THE HEATH: Joe Walshe; James Doyle, PJ Larkin, Alan Whelan; Sean Kirby, Neil Keane, Mark Phelan; Jimmy Nerney, Aaron Thornton; Denis Browne, John McNamara, Paddy Fitzpatrick; Colm Murphy, Ronan Coffey, Sean Moran. Subs: Paddy Callaghan for Thornton and David O’Brien for Nerney (52 mins), Sam Rooney for J Phelan (57 mins), Jake Ratcliffe for Browne (60 mins)

Referee: Padraig Whelan (Barrowhouse)